March 27: Albion 1 Luton 1

12:07pm Tuesday 18th July 2006

Albion ought to have sought advice from Mike Tyson while he was in town.

We all know they have been punching above their weight this season.

But their inability to land a knockout blow with the opponent on the ropes is one of the main reasons why they are about to lose their Championship contest.

The pattern was established from the opening bell, when Dean Hammond gave them an early lead in the first day draw at Derby.

The Seagulls have been ahead in eight of their 12 score draws this season.

Had they been able to hold onto the advantage in even half of them they would now be just a point adrift of Sheffield Wednesday, rather than nine.

Against mid-table Luton, three points were there for the taking once new heavyweight striker Gifton Noel-Williams had maintained his knack of debut-scoring.

Instead, while all three of Albion's relegation rivals were pulling off notable victories, they had to settle for wasteful parity again, courtsey of Paul McShane's unfortunate own goal.

Manager Mark McGhee said: "Dean Hammond had a great chance just before the equaliser and had we taken that it would have been curtains for Luton but we didn't and you leave yourself vulnerable if you are only 1-0 up.

"It was a game we should have won. We did enough, certainly gave enough.

"It was a disappointing goal to lose, but not to have got 2-0 up at that point was disappointing. We have seen all season that we have not been able to finish teams off."

For a tantalising ten minutes in the second half, between Wolves equalising at home to Sheffield Wednesday and Luton levelling, the gap between Albion and safety was diminishing to manageable proportions again.

The final half-hour, not just at Withdean but at Molineux and Vicarage Road too, has effectively sealed their fate.

Manager and players alike were in for a nasty shock when they got back to the dressing room and discovered Wednesday had won at Wolves, Millwall likewise at Watford, not to mention a thumping home win for rock-bottom Crewe against Coventry.

Noel-Williams, who started his career at Watford, said: "It's unbelievable the results that went against us. Most people would have put their house on them not going that way.

"Even with a draw we thought we might have gained a point on them and we have ended up losing two points.

"We've got two important games against Millwall and Sheffield Wednesday coming up and if we don't win them that's basically the end of the road for us."

Albion's afternoon deteriorated in tandem with the weather and the Withdean pitch after the most encouraging of starts.

It took Noel-Williams only 18 minutes to add to his debut goals for Burnley and Stoke.

He expertly steered a header beyond the right hand of Marlon Beresford from a penetrating Adam Hinshelwood cross to end a drought dating back to August.

Hammond should have doubled the advantage on the hour when a combination of Noel-Williams and Colin Kazim-Richards set him up for a left-foot shot which the veteran Beresford blocked.

Luton went straight up the other end to equalise. McShane got the last touch running back towards his own goal, with Steve Robinson by his side, after Wayne Henderson could only parry Warren Feeney's angled drive.

Gary Hart, the match-winner against Leeds 11 games ago, came agonisingly close to registering Albion's first victory since then in the 73rd minute.

Joe Gatting, just on in place of Kazim-Richards, headed the ball back for him to volley against a post, via a deflection off the shoulder of a Luton defender.

Conditions had become farcical by that stage, the crowd cheering every time players slid in to challenge on a pitch turned into a quagmire by relentless rain.

Noel-Williams, who impressed in the air and on the floor, said: "It was my first 90 minutes for a long time so it was a bit like running on quicksand but I got through it.

"On a personal level it couldn't have started any better but for the team it was two points lost.

"That was quite disappointing for me and the lads. They are a good bunch here, they made me feel welcome from the time I walked in. There's good banter around the club."

Albion will go bottom tomorrow night if Crewe pull off another surprise win at Preston. McGhee likens his situation to that of Dario Gradi at the only club below the Seagulls.

He said: "This is a development job, bringing on young players and making the best of them before somebody steals them away from us.

"It's a bit like Crewe have done for the last few years. Dario's had to face that reality as well, that you go up, you go down, you win games, you lose a lot of games and bring on young players.

"I don't get despondent, because my job is the same as it was the day I got here."

McGhee may not be down, but Albion are surely out for the count now.

• Albion (4-4-2): Henderson 6; Hinshelwood 8, McShane 7, Butters 7, Lynch 7; Hart 7, Carpenter 8, Hammond 6, Frutos 6; Kazim-Richards 6, Noel-Williams 8. Subs: El-Abd for Frutos (withdrawn 61), Gatting for Kazim-Richards (withdrawn 72), Carole for Hart (withdrawn 90), Dodd, Chaigneau.
• Luton (4-4-2): Beresford; Foley, Heikkinen, Coyne, Davis; Edwards, Underwood, Robinson, Brkovic; Howard, Feeney. Subs: Vine for Brkovic (withdrawn 64), Bell for Edwards (withdrawn 64), Showunmi for Feeney (withdrawn 75), Perrett, Brill.
• Matchfacts
• - Shots on goal: Albion 2 Luton 2.

- Shots off goal: Albion 5 Luton 4.

- Corners: Albion 3 Luton 5.

- Offside: Albion 4 Luton 2.

- Free-kicks: Albion 14 Luton 18.

• Albion bookings: Kazim-Richards (36) foul, McShane (71) foul
• Luton booking: Davis (88) kicking ball away.
• Albion scorer: Noel-Williams (18).
• Luton scorer: McShane own goal (60).

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