Life Will Be No Beach At Brighton

ALAN Pardew has admitted that with three games left to secure West Ham United's Play-off place his side dare not lose at the Withdean Stadium against Brighton on Saturday.

The 1-0 win at Stoke earlier this week has closed the gap on Reading and Derby to just a point, but Hammers know that any slip-ups this weekend could be disasterous to their Play-off hopes.

Pards and his players are in buoyant mood after four wins out of their last five games, but the Hammers boss was quick to warn that the Withdean will be a tough assignment for his side.

"Defeat at Brighton is unthinkable," he confessed. "The teams above us can probably afford to lose, but there's no room for error as far as we're concerned.

"We're approaching every game as a must-win and we really need to take something away from Brighton on Saturday.

"We haven't lost in our last seven games so the mood around the training ground is very positive at the moment. We know we're really in a fight for those Play-off places, but over the last few weeks this team has shown it's determination as well as its ability.

"All we need to do now is keep that posititve momentum following until the end of the season."

Pards confessed that West Ham's players and fans will be greeted by a strange atmosphere on arrival at the Withdean. A temporary stadium meant more for athletics than football, it will be far removed from the usual Championship arenas.

But the Hammers boss is leaving nothing to chance this weekend, and will ensure his team arrive early in Brighton to familiarise themselves with the oddities of the 6,973 capacity ground.

"Brighton is a very difficult place to go and play," he admitted. "The environment and the stadium make it tough for opposing teams.

"One thing that worries me about the trip is that West Ham United have never been there and a lot of our players haven't played at that stadium. It's certainly a different environment to most Championship stadiums. You walk out and see a lot of trees everywhere and it almost feels like a pre-season game.

"Then the match starts and the fans are close to the pitch and boisterous and suddenly it becomes an intimidating atmosphere, with a small pitch and lots of little wars going on.

"We're going to need to win those wars if we want to win there. But having Bobby in the camp will definitely help because he'll be able to warn the others about what to expect and any little tricks that they might have down there.

"Aside from that, we'll take a more detailed approach into the game. We'll arrive early and make sure the players try and take in the atmosphere and surroundings, basically familiarising themselves with the place before they go out to warm-up.

"The psychology of the game is different to most, but our aim is the same. It's a massive match and we're going there to win."

Brighton are fighting for their lives at the foot of the table and are in the bottom three on goal difference alone going into Saturday's game. And the Hammers boss admitted that he has sympathy with the plight of the South Coast club, who have seen planning permission for a new stadium repeatedly hit the rocks.

"I come from Wimbledon, where the lack of support from the local council eventually destroyed the club," he said. "I really hope that doesn't happen to Brighton, because they're a good club and I hope they can get the stadium they deserve.

"They're fighting really hard down there and I've got no doubt they can survive. It's a huge game for both clubs on Saturday and there's certainly a lot to play for."