BRIGHTON face a defensive crisis for tonight's clash at Roots Hall. Centre half Joel Lynch is doubtful with a knock sustained in Saturday's 3-2 home defeat by Port Vale and his natural replacement Guy Butters is suffering with a virus.

Gary Hart, who could have been used at right back, has a cracked kneecap, while Adam El-Abd (knee), Matt Richards (hamstring) and Adam Hinshelwood (knee) are other defenders sidelined.

That concerns manager Dean Wilkins, especially as he believes the game is a must-win match for his ninth-placed team who are four points below the play-offs.

"We certainly have to aim to win the game, because Southend won again on Saturday," said Wilkins.

"They are in the thick of it, Leeds are still in it, Forest are in there, so we have to take points off our closest competitors."

Brighton (from): Kuipers, Whing, Lynch, Elphick, Mayo, Cox, Thomson, Gatting, Racon, Fraser, Westlake, Robinson, Murray, Forster, Rents and Martot.