Albion manager Dean Wilkins will be stepping up his search for a new goalkeeper after Michel Kuipers picked up a groin injury that is expected to keep him out for Tuesday’s trip to Gillingham .

The Albion keeper picked the injury up in the early stages of yesterdays 2-1 win over Forest but continued to play leaving goal kicks to his teammates.

Speaking after the game Wilkins told he Argus: “I didn’t even want to look at him because I did not want him to say to me I have got to come off’.

“I was blanking him really and just checking with Malcolm (physio Malcolm Stuart) that he was all right.

“Firstly Michel couldn’t kick the ball. If he had then said he was struggling to move around then obviously we would have taken him off but, to Michel’s credit, he did not do that. He stayed on the pitch and pulled off some crucial saves.”

Young goalkeeper John Sullivan, who has been providing cover for Kuipers on the bench, could be in line for his first team debut if no replacement is found.

Former Albion keeper Alan Blayney was lined up as a replacement for Wayne Henderson following his transfer to Preston in January, but the Northern Irish keeper failed to agree to a contract lengthy with the Seagulls.

Ironically Blayney has now joined League One rivals Oldham on a contract till the end of the season, the same length of contract the Albion offered.

Added on Sunday, February 18th, 2007 at 1:18 pm under News by Wilka.