ALBION manager Micky Adams punished Darren Freeman again last night by leaving him on the bench.

The top scorer had to sit and suffer for most of the match as the Seagulls were held to a 2-2 draw by Lincoln at Withdean.

Freeman came on with 20 minutes left in place of Rod Thomas.

But it was Lincoln's veteran sub Phil Stant who stole the glory nine minutes later. The 37-year-old assistant manager snatched a point for the visitors shortly after coming on.

Freeman already faces a four-match ban and he was also fined a week's wages by Adams following his red card for spitting at Plymouth last Saturday.

"It was a justified decision to leave Darren out," said Adams. "He had no complaints and he has got to get on with it now.

"The boy let the club down and he has been left in no doubt that I am not happy."

Freeman's regular partner Gary Hart was alongside him on the bench as he has not fully recovered from a virus.

But Adams was pleased with a makeshift strike force of Thomas and Dave Cameron. The big Scot set up Charlie Oatway's first-half equaliser before captain Paul Rogers headed Albion into a 2-1 lead.

"Thomas and Cameron both looked sharp," said Adams. "David's had a difficult time since he came down from Scotland.

"At one stage I was going to send him back, but he has worked hard, he has lost a bit of weight and he looks sharper for it."

Central defender Darren Carr went off at half-time with a calf injury which makes him doubtful for 11th-placed Albion's home game against Northampton on Saturday.

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