Albion returned to winning ways as they edged out West Ham United 5-4 in a thriller in the Barclays Women’s Super League.
Interim manager Amy Merricks saw her side recover impressively after conceding a third-minute goal to Lisa Evans to score three first-half goals in the space of 12 minutes.
Danielle Carter equalised before setting up Vea Sarri to score her first goal for the club. Carter then made it three goals for the season when she converted a penalty after Julia Zigiotti was brought down.
Dagny Brynjarsdottir made it 3-2 early in the second half but Albion always looked as if they had more goals in them and Elisabeth Terland scored a close-range fourth – her first for the club – to restore the two-goal lead in the 68th minute.
Jorja Fox became the third player to score her first goal for Albion when she made it 5-2 a couple of minutes after coming off the bench.
It looked like job done for Albion but West Ham rallied and struck twice in quick succession through Vivianne Asseyi and substitute Halle Houssein to make it 5-4.
Albion dug in and negotiated seven minutes of stoppage time to seal a precious three points.
It was some performance by Albion considering they went behind inside three minutes when Lisa Evans floated a cross-shot from the right inside the far post.
Having lost 8-0 the week before it was the worst possible start for Albion, but they recovered quickly.
Poppy Pattinson’s looping header from Geummin Lee’s cross dropped just over the target but we levelled on eight minutes when West Ham keeper Sophie Hillyerd was dispossessed by Carter who rounded her and fired the ball into an empty net.
Three minutes later Albion were in front. Terland played a lovely ball down the right to Carter and her cross was guided home by Sarri from about eight yards.
Albion stretched their lead in the 19th minute. Victoria Williams won the ball back on the goal line and found Julia Zigiotti who was tripped by Grace Fisk for a clear penalty, which Carter rolled nonchalantly into the bottom corner.
Carter should have been celebrating again three minutes later when West Ham defended poorly again and presented her with a shooting chance 20 yards out but Hillyerd made the save.
Zigiotti fired just over and Sarri went desperately close with a shot which took a deflection. From the resulting corner Zigiotti hit the apex of post and crossbar with the keeper struggling.
Hillyerd then saved Terland’s shot, after Kayleigh Green’s cut-back set up the chance, as Albion finished the first half in control.
Sarri went close again five minutes into the second half after Lee was fouled 25 yards out and her free-kick flew a yard wide of the right-hand post. Zigotti then hit the woodwork from a corner for the second time when her inswinger clipped the top of the crossbar.
Albion seemed to be in control but they were pegged back in the 58th minute, Green was booked for a foul on Asseyi and when the free kick was swung in from the left skipper Brynjarsdottir rose to head into the far corner and make it 3-2.
Hillyerd prevented Albion from re-establishing their two-goal lead in the 65th minute when she flung herself across goal to palm the ball wide after Lee headed Sarri’s free-kick towards the top corner. But from the resultant corner Albion were back in the ascendancy. West Ham failed to clear Zigiotti’s inswinger and after a spell of pin-ball in the six-yard box Terland forced it over the line.
Two minutes later it was 5-2 when Fox, who had only come on, drilled a right-foot shot into the bottom corner after pressure by Katie Robinson had forced a turnover inside the West Ham box.
Albion went after more goals in the closing stages. Only a great block prevented Carter from completing her hat-trick after Robinson’s cross set up a shooting opportunity but there was to be late drama as the hosts scored twice in the space of two minutes to set up a frantic finale.
Aseyi headed home at the far post when Lisa Evans' cross took a deflection off Pattinson then substitute Halle Houssein turns the ball home after great work down the right by Evans.
West Ham sensed an unlikely equaliser and Albion had to negotiate seven minutes of stoppage time and hearts were in mouths when the ball dropped to Claudia Walker 12 yards out but she dragged her shot wide of the post.
Albion: Walsh, Green (Fox 69), Williams, Kullberg, Robinson, Zigiotti, Sarri, Lee, Robinson, Terland (Park 90+2), Carter (Bance 90).
Subs not used: Startup, Jarvis, Ferguson.