Albion manager Gus Poyet has pledged to persevere with a strike partnership of Leo Ulloa and Craig Mackail-Smith.


  The Argentinian target man and the Seagulls' top scorer were paired together from the start for the first time in last night's 1-0 victory over Hull at The Amex, with Ashley Barnes beginning a three-match ban.


  Poyet said: "Let's see if we can see them together a lot. That was the aim, keep Macca, buy Leo, and now we have got it let's try to use them.


  "They were not far from having a great chance. They tried to play together. It was the first time. When one of them flicks the ball on they need to learn where the other is and Leo is learning as well about his movement, because of coming to a new league."

  Poyet is hopeful Ulloa will recover from a gruelling start to his Albion career to lead the line again against Blackburn at The Amex on Tuesday night following his January move from Spanish club Almeria.

 "In Spain as soon as somebody puts their hands on the back of you normally you get a foul," Poyet said. "Here there is a little bit more contact and in the beginning it was a little bit difficult for him, so he needs to get used to that.


  "In the first two weeks he suffered. He watched a couple of games then he has already played a Cup game against Arsenal, ten against 11 away from home (Sheffield Wednesday) and 90 minutes. Let's hope he can recover well."