Albion boss Steve Coppell was in defiant mood last night despite a defeat which dropped the Seagulls back into the drop zone and a triple injury blow.

Bobby Zamora, Richard Carpenter and Simon Rodger were all forced off as the Seagulls lost 2-1 at third placed Sheffield United.

They are now third bottom, a point adrift of Grimsby after the Mariners snatched a 1-0 victory in stoppage time at Rotherham.

But Coppell was pleased with Albion's spirited performance and he insisted: "It is no setback as far as I am concerned. We played a full part in the game. We had opportunities right to the end and could have come away with something.

"Neil Warnock was kind enough to say we deserved something out of the game and I agree."

Of more concern to Coppell is the hamstring pull sustained by 11-goal Zamora.

The damage was done right at the start of the match, before he laid on Carpenter's 14th minute equaliser, and he was replaced by Graham Barrett three minutes into the second half.

Carpenter also went off in the second half, while Rodger left the action in the opening 45 minutes.

All three now face a battle to be fit for Saturday's trip to Ipswich.

Coppell said: "Bobby's got a pull on the hamstring, Simon went over on his ankle and Richard did something to his hip, so we will have to wait and see over the next couple of days.

"Bobby said he felt something tweak when he made his first run down the left side. Right from that first minute I was looking at him and he was feeling it.

"I think when he had the incentive of the ball to chase after you just don't feel it as much.

"We have to accept he is a massive part of our survival package and we are very conscious of forcing him to play when it might be better for the long term just to bring him off.

"Half time was the worst thing that could have happened because he was sitting in the dressing room for 15 minutes and, even though he was getting massage constantly, it just stiffened up."

Elsewhere at the foot of the table Stoke drew 0-0 at Wolves to move within a point of Albion. Sheffield Wednesday are still bottom, four points adrift of the Seagulls, after a 1-1 draw at Bradford.

Coppell said: "I am not worried about anyone else. We have got to look after ourselves. If we start looking for other results then we are a sad side."

The Reserves face Plymouth in the Combination at Worthing tonight (7.0).

Blades match report at thisisthealbion.co.uk