Michel Kuipers has taken a significant step towards a return between the posts for Albion.

The Seagulls No. 1, sidelined since January by a shoulder injury, has resumed specialist goalkeeping training with coach John Keeley.

Kuipers enjoyed his first session back yesterday and admitted he was delighted with his progress.

But neither Kuipers nor manager Mark McGhee are yet putting a timescale on the big Dutchman's return to first team action.

Youngsters John Sullivan and Richard Martin are currently sharing goalkeeping duties in Albion's programme of pre-season friendlies, which continues at Worthing tonight.

Kuipers said: "We were very pleased how the shoulder held out during the training session.

"I wasn't really throwing myself around but we did some handling work, standard drills which went really well.

"The next step will be to increase the goalkeeping work and play in a practice match during a training session but there's no timescale on that.

"My general fitness is good. I've been in working during the whole summer.

"It's premature to say whether I'll get a pre-season friendly but we are on the right track."

Albion fans who did not travel to Le Havre last weekend get a first chance to see the Coca Cola Kid, Colin Kazim-Richards, tonight and there could be a debut for Jason Dodd.

Adam Virgo is still missing as the Seagulls assess the condition of his troublesome knee and defensive resources are further stretched by the likely absences of Kerry Mayo and Guy Butters.

Mayo has been in the gym re-building muscles in his right leg after suffering a slight reaction to treatment on his knee last season.

Butters took a knock on the thigh when he was caught by a high challenge in the Le Havre game.

Mayo, who expected to be back on the training pitch today, said: "The knee that was operated on was aching when we were in France but I got through it.

"It swelled up a bit sitting on the coach for eight hours coming back from Le Havre."

Albion are training twice a day but McGhee insisted it was not all hard running and fitness work.

He said: "We've been playing football since day one as well as working on fitness.

"Albeit in the first couple of days we were just playing head-catch and things like that because we didn't want anybody pulling muscles.

"On Monday we did a very hard day of 400s and 200s but yesterday was pure football.

"In the morning we worked on our shape and team play and in the afternoon we did more specific work on crossing and finishing with a view to the game at Worthing."