Not many teams have enjoyed playing against Scunthorpe this season but Bas Savage showed his liking again for the League One leaders.

Albion's new cult hero equalised with his first home goal since scoring against Scunthorpe for Bristol City 14 months ago.

The former Gillingham striker's fourth goal in his last seven starts with 18 minutes left cancelled out Jermaine Beckford's superbly taken second-half opener to give the Seagulls a well-earned point.

Scunthorpe, below their best, still managed to stretch their unbeaten run to a club record 16 games.

Albion are in pretty good form themselves, with three wins, three draws and only one defeat from their last seven matches and they have the satisfaction of taking four points from the table toppers this season.

Albion were forced into a late change after Kerry Mayo hurt his back in training on Friday.

Joe O'Cearuill, the Republic of Ireland Under-21 international into the third month of a loan spell from Arsenal, returned to the starting line-up.

He slotted in at right-back, with Adam El-Abd switching to leftback.

O'Cearuill's previous start was in the home defeat by Bristol City last month.

The result was no reflection on his steady contribution at centre half that day, his preferred position, but it was still irritating for boss Dean Wilkins to have to reshuffle a defence which has been in mean mood lately.

Scunthorpe were unchanged following the 1-1 home draw against promotion rivals Nottingham Forest last weekend, which ended a run of seven straight victories.

It did not take long for Jermaine Beckford and Billy Sharp to show why they have developed a prolific partnership.

Beckford, signed from Leeds in January, got away from Guy Butters inside the box only eight minutes into the contest to fire in an angled drive which Scott Flinders blocked in unorthodox fashion with his thigh at his near post.

Sharp, although he was denied any scoring opportunities in the opening exchanges, impressed with his prodigious work-rate.

He was such an obvious threat that, on one occasion, three Albion players surrounded him but he still managed to win a corner.

While the focus was on Scunthorpe's sharpshooters, Albion's strike force of Alex Revell and Bas Savage had a bit of a point to prove.

They were criticised by Wilkins for not being competitive enough, particularly in the air, in the first half of the goalless draw at Blackpool.

Clearance The Seagulls used Revell's height on the right to good effect. Dean Cox aimed a free-kick at him which forced former Albion defender Andy Crosby into a headed clearance close to his own line.

Seconds later a cross by Joel Lynch from the opposite flank was met by Revell with a downward header which Joe Murphy, the Scunthorpe keeper, held with relative comfort.

The high number of free-kicks conceded by both sides made for a generally scrappy first half in which Albion more than held their own.

Cox, displaying typical invention, worked a one-two with Jake Robinson but was unable to control the return pass inside the area.

Robinson, operating once more as the most advanced player in the midfield diamond, struggled to get into the game.

The Seagulls have not managed to get him on the ball enough so far since he switched positions, although a volley from the edge of the box after he had controlled the ball on the run forced Murphy into further routine action.

Crosby's two and a bit seasons with Albion, including a Third Division Championship winners' medal, ended with a booking in his final outing at Withdean for the club in October 2001.

He suffered the same fate on his first game back, bringing down Revell who had ran away from him down the right wing.

It epitomised a degree of frustration among the Scunthorpe players that Albion were not letting them have things all their own way.

The visitors still looked menacing when they broke forward, another slick build-up finishing with a 20-yard shot from Cleveland Taylor which Flinders, fresh from extending his loan stint from Crystal Palace into a second month, pushed over the bar.

Albion's marginal edge was almost rewarded just before the break when Cox's corner was nodded goalwards by El-Abd and a header from Lynch was blocked near the Scunthorpe line.

Sharp, riled throughout the first half by El-Abd and the crowd, was predictably cautioned three minutes into the restart for what can best be described as persistent whinging.

The former Sheffield United marksman had, in fact, been awarded a free-kick just inside the Albion half when he had one moan too many at ref Peter Walton. Sharp had to wait until the 51st minute for his first attempt at goal, a header well wide of the target.

Albion, playing with passion and at times quality, continued to hold sway after the break.

A scuffed shot by skipper Dean Hammond was diverted inches wide by Revell and the Seagulls went even closer to breaking the deadlock in the 61st minute.

Revell's header from El-Abd's cross was kept out by Murphy and both Butters and Lynch then came agonisingly close to forcing the ball over the line.

The value of having natural goalscorers to rely upon was emphasised when Beckford blunted Albion's best spell of the match by putting Scunthorpe ahead against the run of play with a piece of individual brilliance in the 64th minute.

He squeezed the ball through Butters' legs before slotting his sixth goal in ten games under Flinders' body.

The flattering lead lasted only eight minutes as Albion deservedly pulled level through their front pair.

Revell beat Crosby in the air and headed into the path of Savage, who calmly lifted the ball over the stranded Murphy.

It almost got even better for Albion and Savage with five minutes left when substitute Joe Gatting flicked on a cross but he skewed his shot into the edge of the side netting.

Flinders, maintaining his habit of vital late saves, foiled Beckford with his feet a minute later before an enjoyable encounter ended in unsavoury manner.

Scunthorpe midfielder Matthew Sparrow was sent off in stoppage time for a second bookable offence, a foul on Gatting.

El-Abd went down clutching his face in the ensuing melee before being dragged back to his feet by Crosby.

The ex-Seagull and Scunthorpe's skipper clearly felt El-Abd had over-reacted and refused to shake hands with him after the final whistle.

5:30pm Saturday 17th March 2007

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