ALBION duo Kerry Mayo and Gary Hobson are vying for a rare first-team start.

They are candidates to replace the doubtful Darren Carr in today's home game against Northampton.

A calf strain forced Carr off at half-time in Tuesday's 2-2 draw against Lincoln.

If he fails to recover, then Hobson could take his place in the centre of defence or Mayo could come in at left wingback, with Jamie Campbell switching to the middle.

Manager Micky Adams also has the option of using Ross Johnson, as he did when Carr went off on Tuesday.

Former captain Hobson has been injured and out of favour since his last start six weeks ago.

Mayo has been a regular on the bench recently and came on to score in consecutive games against Peterborough and Macclesfield.

Adams watched the pair, plus Andy Crosby, Darren Freeman and Gary Hart, in the Reserves at Burgess Hill on Wednesday.

Crosby is not ready for first-team action after a month out with a hamstring injury, but Adams can perm any two from four up front.

Dave Cameron and Rod Thomas combined well against Lincoln while Hart, recovering from a virus, and Freeman, punished for his red card at Plymouth last Saturday, were on the bench.

Albion have lost only one of their last nine games and will move above Northampton on goal difference if they win.

Adams said: "I am very pleased with the progress we are making. We have played 18 games and only been beaten five times, but we have got to turn draws into wins.

"I watched Northampton play particularly well at home to Cheltenham. They have a new manager, they have changed their formation to 4-4-2 and they are in the top seven.

"They have 30 points and we have 27, so there is all to play for."

Albion (from): Walton; Watson, Campbell, McPherson, Carr, Rogers, Oatway, Thomas, Cameron, Cullip, Aspinall, Freeman, Hart, Johnson, Mayo, Ramsay, Hobson.

Northampton (probable): O'reilly; Hendon, Spedding, Sampson, Howey (or Hope), Savage, Hunter, Frain, Parrish, Clare, Corazzin. Subs (from): Hope, Hughes, Dobson, Gibb, Sturridge, Peer, Wilson.

ALBION'S FA Youth Cup third round tie away to Brentford next Wednesday is kicking off at 7.30pm, not 7pm as previously reported.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.