Albion clock up the miles

7:30am Tuesday 11th November 2008

Albion are bracing themselves for a punishing pre-Christmas fixture programme. The Seagulls will clock up at least 3,000 miles during a gruelling schedule of away games. They complete a run of five successive home matches against Swindon tomorrow night in the Johnstone¹s Paint Trophy.

A horror sequence of travelling is launched with Saturday's League One trip to Carlisle, followed three days later by the FA Cup replay at Hartlepool.

Albion had already booked return flights for Carlisle, so the players face the trek to Hartlepool by coach. They also have long-distance away games in the league in the next few weeks at Stockport, Oldham and Tranmere.

The spell of five matches out of seven away from Withdean could become even more hectic and draining if the Seagulls make progress in the FA Cup and JP Trophy. Further long hauls beckon then to Fleetwood, near Blackpool, or Leiston near Ipswich, and Shrewsbury.

Manager Micky Adams said: "It is how we recover from the journeys. We will make sure our rest and recuperation is right and I am not looking for excuses.

"The most frustrating part at the moment is that some players are available for different competitions. We would have liked to have kept the team which won the two league games against Leicester and Millwall but we¹ve had to make changes. That is the problem when you take loan players."

Loan signings Kevin Thornton and Joe Anyinsah, cup-tied by Coventry and Preston for Saturday's 3-3 draw against Hartlepool, are available for the southern area quarter-final against Swindon, although Thornton is a doubt with tonsillitis Fellow temporary captures Bradley Johnson and Stuart Fleetwood are ineligible, having already featured in the competition for Leeds and Cheltenham respectively.

Anyinsah's second month ends with the Carlisle game but Adams said: "If we can we will try and keep him for the full 93 days."

Winger Jack Compton, back with Albion from a loan spell at Lewes, makes a quick return to the Dripping Pan today for the reserve team fixture between the clubs (2pm). The reserves visit Hailsham a week tomorrow in the third round of the Sussex Senior Cup (7.45pm).