Albion manager Dean Wilkins has urged his players to match a big gate with a winning performance against Gillingham tomorrow night (Tues).

The game was sold out when it was frozen off just before Christmas and the Seagulls are expecting the crowd to reach 8,000 for only the second time in Withdean history.

The record attendance of 8,691 was for the home defeat by Leeds in October.

Albion have more often than not played well but lost in front of bumper Withdean turnouts, a pattern Wilkins would like to see change against the struggling Gills.

He said: "There are games which spring to mind with big crowds when we've had really good performances and possibly a little bit of misfortune as well.

"This can be a kick-start for us. With a big gates as well it will hopefully show people what they have been missing out on and they will want more of a taste of it."

Wilkins believes the first 6,000-plus crowd at Withdean since December, following four in a row which dipped below 5,000, played a key part in Albion's late rally against Orient on Saturday.

He said: "The fans can make a massive difference.

"Even in the last ten minutes of Saturday's game it was as loud as I have heard it for a long time.

"It was fantastic, they were almost willing the ball in to the back of the net in the end.

"If we have that sort of atmosphere from start to finish, that can have a major impact on players' performances."