Albion’s Continental League Cup campaign got off to a disappointing start with defeat at St Andrew’s on Sunday.
Geummin Lee scored her second goal of the season to give Albion hope after the Championship side had taken a 2-0 lead through Libby Smith and Jade Pennock.
But Lucy Quinn soon restored Birmingham’s two-goal advantage and although Danielle Carter made it 3-2 with a late penalty the hosts, who twice hit the frame of the goal, held on.
Hope Powell made three changes with Yeeun Park making her first start since joining the club during the summer. Having recovered from Covid, Carter started and there was a return after suspension for defender Emma Kullberg.
Kick off was delayed for 30 minutes because of the late arrival of medical cover and Albion started well and dominated possession early on. Kullberg broke down the left-hand side in the sixth minute and when the ball was worked infield Lee lined up a shot from 25 yards which was only just over the bar.
Birmingham responded impressively though, and they hit the post on 11 minutes when Quinn had time and space to line up a shot which struck the outside of the left-hand upright. They threatened again midway through the first half, but Walsh saved Smith’s shot with her outstretched leg.
Smith made no mistake, however, when she beat Albion’s offside trap in the 24th minute, scoring at the second attempt after Walsh blocked her first shot.
Park fired over from 16 yards as Albion sought a quick response but it needed Kullberg to make a crucial block on the edge of the six-yard box to deflect Jade Pennock’s shot wide as Birmingham continued to carry the greater threat and when Kullberg failed to cut out Smith’s pass, Pennock was in only to shoot straight at Walsh.
But eight minutes into the second half Pennock made no mistake when she latched onto a ball in from the left and although Walsh got a hand to her shot it wasn’t enough to prevent it going in to double Birmingham’s lead.
Albion got back into the game on 58 minutes when Lee produced a clever finish from the right-hand corner of the six-yard box after Birmingham failed to clear a corner. But within three minutes the hosts restored their two-goal lead. Pennock got away down the right and her low cross was guided over Walsh by Quinn.
Having already brought on Julia Zigiotti, Albion made two further changes midway through the second half as Elisabeth Terland and Katie Robinson were introduced and Vea Sarri was close to pulling one back in the 70th minute when her side-footed effort from 15 yards hit the side netting with Thomas beaten.
The game got increasingly stretched in the closing stages. Birmingham captain Louise Quinn headed a corner against the bar before Terland tested Thomas with a low volley which the home keeper saved to her right.
Albion finished strongly and got a second in the 88th minute when Carter scored from the penalty spot after her flick in the box struck a Birmingham arm.
Albion finished in the ascendancy and had one more chance in stoppage time when skipper Victoria Williams met Zigiotti’s free-kick but could only head straight at Thomas.
Albion: Walsh, Fox, Pattinson (Terland 65), Kullberg, Williams, Green, Lee, Park (Robinson 65), Sarri, Bance (Zigiotti 52), Carter.
Subs not used: Startup, Jarvis, Ferguson.