Bobby Zamora rediscovered his goal touch last night as Albion set up a top-of-the table showdown at Chesterfield.

Zamora, scoreless for four games, bagged a double in a 4-2 victory against Hartlepool at Withdean.

It lifted the teenage striker's tally for the season to eight and stretched the Seagulls' unbeaten sequence to ten matches.

Micky Adams' men have taken 19 points out of 21 and moved second ahead of Saturday's trip to Chesterfield.

Zamora admitted: "I have been going through a little bit of a dry spell which a couple of the boys were ribbing me about. Maybe I have been creating one or two, but I am just happy to score.

"It was on my mind a little bit that I hadn't, but as long as we are winning it doesn't really matter."

Boss Micky Adams said: "I thought Bobby was back to his best against Scunthorpe last Saturday without getting a goal.

"His effort has warranted goals before now, so I am pleased he got a couple."

Zamora swooped in the first half when Hartlepool goalkeeper Anthony Williams let slip a shot from Nathan Jones. He finished Hartlepool off midway through the second half after they had come back from 3-0 down to 3-2.

Gary Hart and Richard Carpenter, with his first for the club, were also on target early on as Albion appeared to be coasting to a comprehensive victory.

Dutch keeper Michel Kuipers then offered the visitors a possible escape route by dropping a cross over his own line on the stroke of half-time to end Albion's ten-hour run without conceding a goal.

Adams defended Kuipers. "Michel was punished for a bit of sloppyness, but let's not crucify the boy," he said. "Hopefully he will learn from that. It would have been a travesty if we hadn't picked up the three points.

"The lads didn't need any motivating. We knew if we won we would go second and that was what we were after.

"It should be a cracking game against Chesterfield. They are top on merit and we respect them, but we don't fear them."

Hartlepool finished the match with ten men. Norwegian substitute Tim Sperrevik, scorer of their second goal, was sent off in the closing stages by referee David Elleray for foul and abusive language.