Albion boss Micky Adams is planning to add midfield cover to his promotion-chasing squad before the transfer deadline in eight days time.

Charlie Oatway has a knee operation today, which is expected to sideline him from the rest of the League programme.

Adams revealed: "I said some time ago I am actively seeking to bring two loans in before deadline day and that is still the case.

"If you ask me will I get a midfield player I would say yes."

Albion are sweating on the health of Oatway's replacement Steve Melton for tonight's Withdean tussle against beleaguered Barnet. Melton was sent home from training yesterday after reporting ill.

The Seagulls' form in 2001 has been a curious mixture of impressive wins against promotion rivals and surprise defeats by teams out of touch like Barnet.

They have lost to Exeter, Cheltenham and Scunthorpe, although all of those were away.

Saturday's 3-0 demolition of Hull was their 12th victory out of the last 15 at Withdean, where they have only been beaten once since the end of August.

Adams said: "Our home record is good and we are proud of it. Our destiny is in our own hands.

"I would like to think we have learned lessons from what happened to us at Scunthorpe last week.

"The Barnet players will come here with nothing to lose. Nobody is expecting them to get anything, yet half of their side at Macclesfield on Sunday were in the team which came to us on top of the table and full of confidence on Boxing Day last season."

Seven-goal Gary Hart, scorer of the winner in two of the last three clashes with Barnet, said: "Hopefully we are going to start the way we did against Hull on Saturday, because that would knock out any team.

"We want the right result to get a little run going and open up a gap."

Cardiff returned to second place, for 24 hours at least, last night after a 4-0 win over nine-man Shrewsbury at Gay Meadow.