Lee Steele's miserable debut season with Albion has taken another turn for the worse.

The former Shrewsbury striker was sent-off in the second half of a stormy 1-0 win for the reserves against nine-man QPR at Loftus Road yesterday.

Steele was dismissed for fighting with Rangers defender Danny Maddix, who also recieved a red card.

Watching manager Micky Adams said: "The ref was a little over-exuberant, but Lee is a silly boy."

Steele will now face an automatic three-match ban for violent conduct, ruling him out of the first team fixtures at home to Mansfield on March 31, at Rochdale on April 3 and Halifax on April 7.

QPR had already had Terry McFlynn sent off for a second bookable offence when young rightback Adam Hinshelwood fired home Albion's winner just before the break.

Chris Allen's debut for the Seagulls was cut short when he was forced off early on by a knee injury.

The Albion line-up also included two trialists released by Leicester: midfielder Tim McCann, who was booked, and centre half Tommy Goodwin.

Matthew Wicks is back in training after hamstring trouble. He is likely to make his comeback in the reserves against Crystal Palace at Worthing next Wednesday (7pm).

Albion Reserves: Cartwright; Hinshelwood, Jones, Virgo, Goodwin, Johnson, Freeman, McCann, Ramsay, Steele, Allen. Subs: Thomas (for Allen), Beech (for Jones), Wilkinson, Hammond, McCurdy.