Albion striker Leon Knight hit out at the officials for denying him a penalty and costing him a ban in Friday night's harsh 1-0 home defeat by Stoke.

Man-of-the-match Knight was convinced he should have been awarded a spot-kick when Stoke defender Wayne Thomas brought him down midway through the first half.

Referee Graham Salisbury booked Knight for diving after consulting his linesman, his fifth caution of the campaign, which means he is now banned for the Boxing Day clash against Gillingham at Withdean.

Knight, back in the starting line-up following the departures of Danny Cullip and Steve Claridge, said: "It was a penalty. He (Thomas) took it away from his own keeper and I read the way he was going.

"I took the ball off him and it was a pretty high challenge. I thought it was a penalty, their players thought it was a penalty and so did the people on the sidelines. The ref actually gave it, then spoke to the linesman and he said it wasn't."

Manager Mark McGhee said: "I think it was a penalty. I just hope the linesman looks at it and is embarrassed. If I look at it and it wasn't a penalty I'll drop him a line, because I'm convinced it was."

Former Albion loan signing Ade Akinbiyi struck Stoke's 85th minute winner after outmuscling Dan Harding.

The Seagulls' unsettled England under-21 left-back, blamed by McGhee for both of Millwall's goals last Saturday, was quickly replaced by Nathan Jones and faces the axe for the Gillingham match.

Albion were comforted by a promising debut from Mark McCammon and Nottingham Forest's 1-1 home draw with Leicester, which leaves the Seagulls still four points clear of the relegation zone.