Albion took another accomplished stride towards promotion with a victory which became embarrassingly easy.

These teams are heading in opposite directions, the Seagulls for the Second Division and Barnet for the Conference on this form. Bobby Zamora's double delight will be tempered by sympathy for Barnet's beleaguered player-manager Tony Cottee.

Zamora is a West Ham fan, Cottee one of his role models.

Cottee's future at Underhill is under a cloud. He was nowhere to be seen at rain-lashed Withdean last night as Barnet folded to a tenth away defeat on the trot.

Director of football John Still tried to play down Cottee's absence.

"I only know what I am told. I spoke to Tony and he isn't well," said Still.

Cottee's health would have deteriorated further had he witnessed the ruthless efficiency with which Albion coasted to their sixth win out of nine.

A surprise slip-up to accompany those suffered in recent weeks against Exeter, Cheltenham, York and Scunthorpe was never on the agenda once the first goal went in.

It has been an eventful period for Andy Crosby. A matchwinner off his ear against Blackpool was followed by the humiliation of being substituted at half time at Scunthorpe.

The big central defender's second of the season came in more conventional fashion, via an unchallenged header from a Paul Watson corner.

Zamora doubled the advantage within a minute, converting from point blank range at the far post when Paul Brooker's right-wing cross deflected into his path.

Zamora was being closely marshalled at the time by Sam Stockley, but there was never any doubt about him claiming his 22nd goal of the season.

Paul Rogers got in on the act with his fifth of the campaign nine minutes into the restart.

The skipper tried at first to find Zamora from Richard Carpenter's cross.

When the ball broke back to him deep inside the Barnet box Rogers had time and space to pick his spot.

Zamora rounded off the rout eight minutes later with a diagonal header from Watson's right-wing centre, which crept over the line before it was cleared.

Zamora's celebration was almost apologetic.

The chance to complete the third hat-trick of his Albion career disappeared when he was replaced by Phil Stant with 14 minutes left.

Boss Micky Adams, with one eye on Saturday's key clash at Hartlepool, sensibly took advantage of the one-sided scoreline to rest weary legs.

Rogers' withdrawal handed youth team midfielder Shaun Wilkinson his first senior appearance of the season.

Darren Freeman also had another late run-out at the expense of Nathan Jones, the replacement for unfortunate virus victim Steve Melton.

Stant, having marked the briefest of home debuts against Hull last Saturday with a goal, made the wrong sort of impact this time.

There was general bemusement when referee Mick Fletcher awarded Barnet a penalty with eight minutes remaining.

Kevin Dawson was floored from a Darren Currie corner and Stant was apparently the culprit. He had his name taken before John Doolan beat Michel Kuipers from the spot.

Kuipers had only one save to make, pushing out defender Greg Heald's downward header from Currie's corner when Albion were 3-0 up.

They could have scored more. Rogers narrowly failed to connect with a glancing header from the influential Watson's early free-kick.

Crosby also had a chance before opening the floodgates. He slid the ball into the side netting after Lee Harrison could not cling onto a well-struck free-kick by Carpenter. Adams tinkered with the system in Melton's absence. Brooker was given a roving role and Barnet never got to grips with him.

Adams will have a teasing selection choice if Melton recovers from his illness in time for the long haul to Hartlepool.

Saturday's match has now assumed extra significance. If Albion win it they will be at least 12 points clear of the pack pursuing an automatic promotion place.

It would then require a pretty dramatic collapse to relinquish such a commanding cushion in the last ten games.