Albion prospect Chris McPhee has been handed an early birthday present by manager Micky Adams.

McPhee is not 17 until Monday, but Adams says both he and fellow teenage forward Scott Ramsay will play "some part" in tomorrow's trip to Lincoln. The Seagulls have to overcome the absences of Gary Hart and Bobby Zamora, their front duo for the last five matches.

They shared six goals over that period, but Hart is suspended and Zamora is expected to figure for Bristol Rovers in their home game against Chesterfield now that his prolific loan has ended.

"It's a blow," Adams admitted. "But we have got to get on with it. McPhee and Ramsay are not going along for the ride, otherwise I might as well leave them here and let them play for the youth team.

"Both of them will play some part. McPhee has come on tremendously in terms of strength. He wants to listen and learn. When I ring around and ask about loan players clubs tend to throw 18 and 19-year-olds at you. I might as well play my own kids."

Adams is still likely to sign a striker on loan before next Thursday's transfer deadline, but until then Hastings pair McPhee and Ramsay are in the frame. McPhee's only previous first team experience was as a late substitute at Swansea in December. He scored his third goal in three games for the Reserves against Ipswich this week.

Ramsay has made two starts and 16 appearances as a substitute, the last of them at Chester last month. Adams is keeping his selection and tactical options open. Among issues he is considering are whether to employ Darren Freeman or Paul Brooker as a central striker or to return to a five-man defence by re-introducing Darren Carr.

Certain starters are former Lincoln midfielder Charlie Oatway and Andy Crosby, making hid 300th League appearance alongside fit-again Danny Cullip.

Meanwhile, Adams has confirmed he is requesting a personal hearing to answer an FA misconduct charge for remarks made to the fourth official in the home game against Halifax on March 4.

Lincoln (from): Marriott; Barnett, Brown, Welsh, Mayo, Fleming, Gain, Battersby, Miller, Peacock, Lescott, Gordon, Thorpe, Finnigan, Phillips, Henry, Philpott, Richardson.

Albion (from): Walton; Watson, Mayo, Cullip, Crosby, Carr, Rogers, Oatway, Aspinall, Brooker, Freeman, Thomas, McPhee, Ramsay, Campbell, Armstrong, Westcott, Ormerod.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.