Micky Adams is playing down his revitalised side's prospects of mounting a late surge for the play-offs.

He says it is "slightly unrealistic" to expect the Seagulls to sneak into the top seven.

There are currently eight points and eight teams between Albion and Hartlepool in the last play-off place. Saturday's hosts Lincoln are four points better off and some of the others have matches in hand.

"There is still a long way to go, ten games, 30 points and contracts to be worked for," Adams said. "I want us to keep our form going. I am not saying we are going to storm into the play-offs. We would have to put a tremendous run together.

"I am not saying it's beyond us, but I just want us to persevere with what we are doing, keep believing and see how many points we can get. My first target was 50 points and we are three off that.

"The second target is to beat 55 points, because that's what we got last season and that would make sure we have improved. The next target is the play-offs, but you would have to say that is slightly unrealistic."

Albion go into Saturday's clash at Sincil Bank in much improved form. They have taken ten points from the last 12 after a horror run of nine matches without a win.

They still have to play four of the top six, three of them at Withdean.

"I am looking forward to the rest of the season," Adams added. "I normally reckon you need a point and a half over 46 games to make the play-offs. I think it might be less this year, because everybody is beating everybody else."

Adams is now unlikely to sign a loan replacement before Saturday for Bobby Zamora, who plundered six goals in as many games before returning to Bristol Rovers.

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