This was another step along the Wembley trail. All Brighton need to do now is beat Shrewsbury at their place and then defeat either Luton or A N Other over two legs. Then we are there, our own Wembley final.

Some refer to the competition as a Mickey Mouse cup, but Wembley is Wembley and could provide a fantastic day out for the Seagulls faithful in 2009.

Next the not so good news. Having flown (except Albion assistant Dean White apparently as he doesn't like flying!) up north to Carlisle our Seagulls failed to produce the goods against a team that hadn't won in thirteen games – and lost 3–1.

Back to last Wednesday at Withdean. It was a brave band (less than 2,500 actually) that turned up for the JPT match against Swindon.

The attendance was always going to be low as we've had a run of five home games in just 15 days plus season ticket holders have to stump up for cup games and there were three of those.

Credit crunch and Withdean winter weather accounted for many empty seats. To be honest it wasn't a great game. We won of course and most importantly are through to the area semi-final but inspiring it was not.

Patrick Kanyuka kindly bundled over Nicky Forster in the area when there was no great danger. Forster thankfully slotted home the penalty for 1–0 after 23 minutes.

Not a lot happened until 75 minutes had gone. The same defender gave away a needless corner and our little Dean Cox put over a decent cross for David Livermore to head home his first goal for the Seagulls and double our lead. It stayed two nil to the end.

This Johnstone's cup is realistically our only hope of a trophy this season. I think we could discover a large number of unseen Albion fans for the trip to Wembley! It has been a long time since our cars streamed up the M23 with blue and white flags flying - but it is possible.

Our opponents in the area semi-final, Shrewsbury, are in league Division 2 but doing rather well. They are in an automatic promotion spot and have won six of their eight home games with only one loss.

Worryingly they have scored 24 times in those games – so it won't be easy! The game is on Tuesday 16th December, kick-off 7.45. Tickets are only £10, or £5 for young and old!

For the stay-at-homes there is the good news that Sky Sports are showing the game live! This in itself is good news for the club as they get £10,000. A note for Brighton blokes - don't go to Gay Meadow as Shrewsbury now play at their Prostar Stadium, Oteley Road!

Somebody should strike medals for the select bunch of Seagulls fans that made the long trip up to Brunton Park, Carlisle. Not only did they have to face a round trip of some 730 miles they had to suffer a lacklustre performance from their team. I'm afraid I wasn't brave enough to make the trip.

After the game manager Micky Adams apologised to supporters who had made the trip saying "Some individuals have let themselves down big-time today. I've told them that … and I need a response. We've disappointed our fans … I can only apologise for that. It was a poor performance … I was bitterly disappointed … We made bad decisions in key areas and made Carlisle look better than they actually are … We've got to lick our wounds … and prepare for a difficult task at Hartlepool."

Adams will also be disappointed that he as manager failed to get the team playing as they could or should!

Brighton were ok until the first goal went in after 31 minutes. From that turning point we didn't look like getting anything from the game. Another low point was conceding a scruffy goal in the added minute before half-time.

I'm afraid Adam El-Abd had a mare of a game in defence. To be fair nobody enhanced their reputations leaving fans asking questions. "Who should play alongside Tommy Elphick?" Many now answer "Joel Lynch!" who is of course out of favour with Adams and on loan at Nottingham Forest.

The Albion after the run at Withdean have some difficult games coming up – and a lot of travelling! Anybody fanatical enough to follow the Seagulls up to Carlisle, then Hartlepool, and the next two away games this month (Stockport and Oldham) will have clocked up around 2,500 miles! I know at least one intrepid fan that will.

I'm hoping for a revival of form at Victoria Park in the FA Cup replay with Hartlepool tonight (Tuesday).

A win would give us non-league opposition in the next round, either Leiston (Suffolk) or North Fleetwood. (It's get the maps out whichever!).

The big digger is still in that field at Falmer. Good to see but he hasn't got very far!