Albion suffered their first defeat of the season in the Barclays Women’s Super League when they went down 1-0 to Aston Villa on Sunday.
Hope Powell’s side went into the game on the back of wins over West Ham and Birmingham which had taken them to the top of the table, but they struggled to break down the visitors.
Debutant Rinsola Babajide went closest with a first-half shot but the visitors went ahead just after the break through Emily Gielnik and Albion could not find a way through a well-organised visiting defence, despite making five substitutions.
Hope Powell made one change to the side which beat Birmingham 5-0 a fortnight ago with Babajide coming in for her debut on the left of midfield.
And the Liverpool loanee had Albion’s best chance of a cagey first half when both defences tended to cancel each other out.
The hosts put together a great cross-field move in the 16th minute which was started on the right by Ellie Brazil. Aileen Whelan and Inessa Kaagman were also involved and eventually Babajide took aim from just inside the box and Hannah Hampton made a strong save at her near post.
Albion’s best source was down their right with Brazil and Maya Le Tissier often combining well but Villa were well organised although it took 40 minutes for them to force Meg Walsh to make a save when he got behind Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah’s well-struck effort from the edge of the box.
Megan Connolly replaced Emily Simpkins at the break but Villa made a strong start to the second half and took the lead in the 47th minute. Walsh’s goal kick was nodded forward in the centre circle ball Australian striker Gielnik, who ran beat the offside trap before finishing well with her right foot into the far corner.
Albion made two changes when Geummin Lee replaced Babajide and Kayleigh Green came on for Brazil to try and find that spark in the final third that had been lacking until then in the second half. Villa kept the game narrow and Albion struggled to get in good service down the flanks as they had in the first half.
Aileen Whelan perhaps should have done better when she got on the end of Connolly’s free kick but headed wide on the stretch but a well-organised and resilient Villa and their efficient offside trap were proving hard to penetrate.
Ramona Petzelberger had an opportunity to double Villa’s lead with 14 minutes to go after finding space in the box but her right-foot effort was always clearing Walsh’s bar.
Fliss Gibbons and Katie Robinson came on in the closing stages and Robinson tested Hampton with a shot from outside the box, but it was comfortably saved and there was no way through for Albion despite plenty of possession in the closing stages.
Albion are back in action on Wednesday when they entertain Charlton in the quarter-final of the Vitality FA Cup.
Albion: Walsh, Koivisto, Kerkdijk, Williams (Gibbons 81), Le Tissier, Whelan, Brazil, Simpkins, Babajide (Lee 62), Simpkins (Connolly 45) Kaagman (Robinson 81), Carter. Subs not used: Stenson, Bance, Arimoro, Nokuthula.
Attendance: 1140