BOSS Chris Hughton will not be panicked into signing a striker as Albion sweat on winning an appeal against Glenn Murray’s red card.

The Seagulls remain intent on adding to their attacking options in the final nine days of the January transfer window.

But Hughton insists there will be no knee-jerk reaction to Murray’s dismissal against Sheffield Wednesday at the Amex on Friday evening and Sam Baldock’s absence with a minor calf injury.

Hughton told The Argus: “In the window you still have to make good decisions. Sometimes it can speed up a process.

“But you have still got to bring in the right people or person you wanted to bring in.”

Albion’s appeal against Murray’s red for blocking a Glen Loovens shot with his hands goes before an FA hearing this afternoon. It is based on the fact that goalkeeper David Stockdale had the shot covered.

As things stand Murray is suspended for one match, ruling him out of Cardiff’s visit tomorrow night when Albion could be left with just Tomer Hemed as a recognised striker.

The Seagulls remain firmly on course for automatic promotion following their fourth home league win in succession against Wednesday.

Hughton said: “At this moment we are really delighted with where we are and I think we deserve to be there, but there isn’t a game we go into that I think we can’t lose if we don’t perform.

“There are too many good teams pushing to start taking anything for granted. The gap between second and third is, for us, the most important one.”