Three players opened their accounts for Albion as they negotiated a tricky FA Cup hurdle in the Potteries today.

Rohan Ince, Solly March and Jonathan Obika were on target to earn the Seagulls a 3-1 fourth-round win at Port Vale.

The Seagulls, for whom Kemy Agustien hit the post, were good value for their win.

But they were given a real battle by Vale, notably in the period after Chris Robertson nodded them level in the first half.

All three first-half goals came from corners.

Ince hooked Albion ahead with a well controlled left-foot volley on 27 minutes after being picked out by Andrea Orlandi’s flag kick.

Robertson escaped the markers to nod Vale level nine minutes later from Chris Lines’ corner.

That really put Vale’s tails up but March silenced their fans on 43 minutes when he clipped the ball over Neal and inside the far post from wide out with what might have been intended as a cross.

After the break Agustien drilled a shot against the upright and Obika was denied by Neal in a one-on-one.

But Jake Forster-Caskey, who had also been thwarted by the Vale keeper, sent Obika clean through to calmly take the ball around Neal and shoot into an unguarded net on 78 minutes.

The game went ahead despite short-lived fears of a postponement when a violent hail and thunder storm left the pitch white ahead of kick-off.

But conditions underfoot were very heavy.