Goalkeeping heroics saw our men's under-21s slip to a 4-1 penalty shootout defeat against Shrewsbury Town in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday, following a goalless draw after 90 minutes.
Shrews keeper Marko Marosi was in inspired form to deny Albion forward Mark O'Mahony and substitute Benicio Baker-Boaitey on a number of occasions during normal time, which sent the contest to penalties to decide who got the bonus point.
Marosi returned to haunt Shannon Ruth's team in the shootout as he saved efforts from Luca Barrington and O'Mahony, with only Baker-Boaitey beating the keeper from 12 yards.
The hosts, who named former Albion winger Elliott Bennett in their starting eleven, started brightly with Morgan Feeney and Kieran Phillips nearly scoring inside the opening five minutes, but both were unable to convert good chances from close range.
Albion grew into the contest but it took until the dying embers of the first half for them to threaten the hosts' goal in windy conditions.
First, Marosi saved Tom Flanagan's blushes after spectacularly clearing his wayward back-pass off the line, and then the goalkeeper denied O'Mahony's powerful shot from six yards.
The Irish striker was once again foiled by Shrewsbury's number one as he smothered the 18-year-old's shot from just inside the area, and then Marosi pulled off a great reaction save to keep out Baker-Boaitey's header from six yards early in the second half.
Tom McGill in the Albion goal was a virtual spectator for the first 65 minutes but made an excellent reaction save to keep out Tom Bayliss' thumping 10-yard strike and stretched every inch of his 6ft 1in frame to deny Daniel Udoh's shot when the Shrews forward was through on goal in the final quarter of the game.
Town, who also hit the post through substitute Ryan Bowman late on, were more threatening in the second half although it was Albion's Casper Nilsson who nearly won it at the death, but he scuffed his effort wide from 15 yards.
As the game was drawn in normal time, a penalty shootout took place, in which Matty Taylor's side came out on top in thanks to successful strikes from Bayliss, Bowman, Bennett, and Joe Anderson.
Despite the shootout defeat, Albion are top of their group with four points after their opening night win at Walsall, but have played a game more than second-placed Forest Green Rovers, who have three points.
Albion play their final group stage match at Forest Green on Tuesday 7 November.
Albion: McGill; Nilsson, McConville, Kavanagh, Samuels; Mullins (Flower 33), Hinchy, Hinshelwood (Baker-Boaitey 46), Barrington, Chouchane; O'Mahony
Subs not used: Cahill, Jackson, Duffus, Slater, Peart.