Michel Kuipers is aiming for his first clean sheet of the season against the club that gave him his break in English football.

Albion's Dutch keeper joined Bristol Rovers in February 1999 after playing in his home city of Amsterdam.

He made a solitary League appearance for Rovers before moving to the Seagulls on a free transfer in June 2000.

Kuipers is facing his old club for the first time. Ben Roberts was in goal when they clashed at the same stage of the Carling Cup last season.

"It's nice to play them, but I am taking it like any other game and concentrating on the job that needs to be done," said Kuipers.

"There are a few of the players and staff left from my time there. It will obviously be nice to see them, but we are concentrating on getting a result.

"It's going to be an important game for us, because we have to set a good standard for Saturday's game (Preston at home)."

Kuipers insists confidence is still high in the Albion camp, despite Saturday's 3-0 defeat at Wigan and the winless start to the season.

"Of course everybody has got confidence and faith in themselves," he said. "There's no question about that.

"For example, against Wigan the first half was excellent. We were unlucky to concede a goal just before half time and in the second half Wigan played probably the best football that is possible in the Coca-Cola Championship.

"I am working hard in training and I'm feeling good. We need a little bit of luck on our side, but we are all very positive. They (Rovers) are doing well in their League, so it's going to be a hard game, but if we do what we have to do then it should be a good result for us. We are playing at home, so we are the aggressors."

Albion were narrowly knocked out by eventual winners Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium after beating Rovers in last season's competition.

The 14 Premier League clubs not competing in Europe enter in round two with relegated Leicester, who received a bye for finishing 18th in the top flight, but Kuipers is reluctant to look that far ahead.

"It's always good to have a Cup run," he said. "You never know who you are going to draw in the next round and if you get one of the big guns that is really nice, but we must take it game by game.

"First it is Bristol Rovers and if we beat them then we can look at the next round."

Kuipers' opposite number tonight, Kevin Miller, is hoping for a case of third time lucky. Miller has finished on the losing side against Albion in the Carling Cup in each of the last two seasons.

He was between the posts when Albion won 1-0 at the Memorial Stadium a year ago and again the season before for Exeter when they went down 2-1 in extra time at Withdean in the first round.

"I definitely feel I owe Brighton one tonight," said the Pirates' skipper Miller. "We have not conceded a goal away from home yet this season and that is obviously a record we'd like to extend."

Manager Ian Atkins has already hinted at changes in the visitors' line-up tonight, with a clutch of players including Craig Disley, Lee Thorpe, Richard Walker, Ryan Williams and Craig Hinton all hoping to be involved.

"We had a long trip to Darlington at the weekend, we have another one tonight and then we play Southend on Friday and travel to Rushden on Monday, so you can see why the gaffer wants to make sure some people get a rest and give others a game," said Miller.

"Those players all have to be regarded as first-teamers rather than squad players and whoever plays tonight, there's no way you can call it a weakened side because they all bring different qualities to the team.

"We saw what Craig can do when he played against us for Mansfield last season because he was outstanding, and he and the other lads will be desperate to come in and do well if they get the chance."