CHRIS Hughton wants Albion to take their automatic promotion challenge to the wire.

He hopes his team are still in contention on the final day when they visit Middlesbrough, one of their rivals for a top two spot.

Albion, at home to QPR tonight, are four points behind leaders Boro and two below Burnley, who face each other at Turf Moor.

With four games to go the race could go to the last day, when Burnley visit Charlton.

Hughton told The Argus: “I hope so, because if that is the case then it means we will have done well in the three games leading up to that last game.

“If we don’t do well enough then it might be immaterial.”

The clash between the top two in Lancashire opens the opportunity of a significant swing in the Seagulls’ favour, providing they claim a sixth win out of seven against Rangers.

Hughton said: “I am conscious of it now and I’ll be conscious of it afterwards but for us it can only be about focusing on trying to win our game.

“The Burnley-Middlesbrough game is not the only big game between now and the end of the season, they all are.

“For us it’s four very big ones and for everyone else they are big games. It’s more important we get the result we want and hope things go our way.”

Bobby Zamora is still ruled out of the visit by his former club by a hip problem.

Rangers had a bid rejected by FK Mlada Boleslav for Czech winger Jiri Skalak, who joined Albion in the January transfer window and has supplied four of the last nine goals from free-kicks and corners.