Albion may be out of the play-off race but they are still finishing the season with a flourish.

They completed a hat-trick of victories with two goals in quick succession in the last 20 minutes.

Glenn Murray and Dean Cox were influential once again. Murray made certain of the points with his fourth goal in five games, each of them headers from Cox's crosses.

Ian Westlake had given the Seagulls the lead three minutes earlier, the 100th League goal since Dean Wilkins took charge.

Albion are improving under his guidance and they could just go one better next season after Leeds' victory at Yeovil the night before finally extinguished the play-off challenge.

Albion made three changes to the team which edged to victory in their penultimate home fixture against Hartlepool.

Skipper Nicky Forster returned up front at the expense of Jonny Dixon after missing the previous two matches with a knee ligament strain.

Matt Richards and Joel Lynch were both restored to the back four after recovering from injuries, Kerry Mayo and Guy Butters making way.

Sickness prevented Dixon from making the trip west so rookie striker Sam Gargan was among the replacements.

Rovers chief Paul Trollope handed the same 11 players a chance to redeem themselves after losing 1-0 at home to Swindon four days earlier.

Their poor form at the Memorial Ground this season is responsible for their position in the bottom half of the table.

That did not deter a bumper crowd turning out for the last League game at the stadium before a £36million redevelopment gets underway in the summer.

Rovers will be groundsharing next season, probably at Cheltenham. Albion know all about that, of course, after two years in exile at Gillingham.

Every match back then was an away game. They have made Withdean something of a fortress once more this season but their form on their travels has let them down in the ultimately vain quest to finish in the top six.

They showed very little in the opening half-hour of the contest, although the same remark could be applied to Rovers.

It was never going to be a classic - a horribly bumpy pitch and an unpredictable breeze saw to that - and the carnival atmosphere soon dissipated.

Passes were misplaced and players from both sides frequently miscontrolled, although the playing surface provided a valid excuse.

Rickie Lambert, Rovers' robust leading marksman, offered another good test for Lynch and Tommy Elphick, who had been so impressive in his first season as a regular.

Lambert headed over an early free-kick under pressure from Elphick, who was surprised when a corner was awarded.

Lambert also had an optimistic claim for a penalty when he flicked the ball over Lynch and, as the ball bounced, went down under a challenge from Richards.

Albion gradually worked their way into the game as the first half wore on without posing much of a threat.

A right-wing cross from Steve Thomson was just too high for Murray to direct his header on target at the far post.

That was a rare moment of concern for either defence and it was not until the 37th minute that either goalkeeper was tested, Michel Kuipers making a comfortable save against his old club from a low drive by Sean Rigg.

The first half was summed up when Murray was impeded by Byron Anthony but Cox struck the resulting free-kick, from a promising position 25 yards out, straight into the defensive wall.

There was no shortage of industry - it was just the quality which was lacking.

A good opportunity to bring the game to life fell to Craig Disley early in the second half, although he did not realise it.

A free-kick by Joe Jacobson somehow reached him at the far post. Disley stuck out a leg but did not connect.

Chris Lines almost broke the suffocating stalemate shortly afterwards with an instant shot from Lambert's lay-off from the edge of the area which found the side netting.

David Pipe should have given Rovers the lead in the 62nd minute. Lambert set him up after a neat build-up for a clear sight of goal but his shot was too close to Kuipers and the Dutchman stuck out his right hand to deny him.

The momentum was with Rovers in the second half but Kuipers continued to keep his former employers at bay.

He stretched to tip away a long-range effort by substitute Charlie Clough, which took a slight deflection.

Then, from the resulting corner, Kuipers acrobatically pushed over Anthony's header.

The value of Kuipers' double save was emphasised as Albion, out of the blue and against the run of play, scored twice in the space of three minutes.

Westlake gave them a 71st minute lead, the on-loan Leeds midfielder converting in a scramble from close range after his initial effort hit the post.

Murray doubled the advantage three minutes later with a far-post header from a cross by Cox.

Another assist for Cox was a nice way for him to celebrate his 100th appearance for the club.

Kuipers also enjoyed a well deserved clean sheet with further stops from Clough and fellow substitute Andy Williams.