Gus Poyet has ordered his table-topping Albion side to put their feet up after grinding out a fifth successive win.

Ashley Barnes and Adam El-Abd struck to beat battling Millwall 2-1 at The Den.

Former Albion loanee Chris Wood replied on his first start for the Lions after they had been reduced to ten men by sub Chris Taylor’s red card.

The visitors were hanging on at the end having looked set for a big win at one stage in the second half.

But Tomasz Kuszczak denied Wood at the death as the Seagulls took provisional leadership of the Championship.

Poyet admitted: “We suffered. When you suffer you need to defend and you need everyone, including the goalkeeper.

“It wasn’t easy at the end partly because of us but, let’s be fair to Millwall, for the way they performed in the last 20 minutes.

“I thought we looked a little bit tired at the end.

“That’s the first time I’ve said that and it is nothing wrong.

“It’s just that seven or eight players have been playing a lot.

“The ones who haven’t been playing had to play for maybe 70 minutes so the next two days are very important to relax and rest.”

Poyet was delighted to see Barnes score on his return and also avoid a fifth booking and subsequent ban.

He added: “We have got plenty of options and I thought on Tuesday we missed a little bit of power in the box and Ash gives you that.

“He came back and scored and he didn’t get a yellow card so he is available for the next game as well!”

Poyet was unable to offer specific details as to the state of health of Craig Mackail-Smith (hamstring) and Bruno (groin), both of whom left the action.

But he did not seem overly worried about the condition his striker and right-back.