Danny Cullip is worried about losing his place at the heart of Albion's promotion bid.

The dependable central defender starts a three-match ban at lowly Exeter on Saturday.

Cullip also misses the trips to struggling Torquay on February 3 and promotion rivals Rochdale on February 6.

With Andy Crosby performing well and Matthew Wicks recovering from injury, the Seagulls' reigning player of the season fears a prolonged spell out of the starting line-up.

Cullip said: "Of course it's a concern when you go out of the side with the squad we've got. We haven't got a big squad but it's a good quality squad, so it is always going to be hard to get back in.

"It's very frustrating to start missing games in the second half of the season."

Cullip's punishment follows his red card for elbowing against his old club Brentford.

Video evidence proved inconclusive, but boss Micky Adams has already pledged to discipline Cullip under a tough new code of conduct introduced in the summer.

Cullip will now be available for the Withdean showdown against Cardiff on February 10 following the re-arrangement of the Rochdale trip.

That is of little consolation to the former Fulham stopper. He said: "What's happened has happened. There is no point dwelling on it now. I've just got to get on with it.

"My third match would have been Cardiff, but it doesn't really make any difference. I am still missing three games.

"Rochdale are up there as well and Exeter and Torquay are down at the bottom, so they are all going to be hard."