Albion are out of the Carabao Cup after losing on penalties to Charlton Athletic at The Valley.
The League One side won a dramatic shoot-out 4-3 when Sam Lavelle converted the 14th spot kick following a goalless draw in 90 minutes.
Albion had enough chances to have won it in normal time but Charlton defended doggedly and keeper Ashley Maynard-Brewer made several important saves.
But from the penalty spot Albion came up short. Pascal Gross hit the post and Leandro Trossard struck the bar before Evan Ferguson and Lewis Dunk both scored. Jayden Stockley hit the post for Charlton and when Jason Steele brilliantly saved from George Dobson and Jes-Rak Sakyi, Solly March had the chance to win it.
But March skied his penalty into the Albion fans in the Jimmy Seed Stand and although Tariq Lamptey netted in sudden death, Moises Caicedo’s effort was saved by Maynard-Brewer. That left Lavelle to win it when he sent Steele the wrong way.
Nearly 6,300 Albion fans headed to south-east London to watch their side in action for the first time since November 13 and they endured a frustrating night as the visitors couldn’t find a way through.
Dunk headed an early cross by Gross wide before Adam Lallana nearly crafted the opener when his delightful touch on the edge of the box opened up space for a shot which beat Maynard-Brewer but clipped the crossbar.
The Charlton No.1 had his wits about him when he tipped March’s cross over the bar before Steele got behind a full-blooded drive by Jack Payne.
Steele was in the wars when Miles Leaburn challenged him for a loose ball and flattened the Albion keeper. Leaburn was booked and a few moments later Steele’s goal was threatened again but Dunk slid in to block Steven Sessegnon’s close-range effort after Charlton broke down the right.
Albion ended the first half with a good spell of pressure. Maynard-Brewer reacted quickly when Levi Colwill drove a cross-shot across the face of goal and the half ended as it had started, with Dunk meeting Gross’s corner wide.
Kaoru Mitoma came on for Julio Enciso at the break and was marauding down the left straight away. One surge earned Albion a corner before he twisted past his marker and pulled the ball back but Charlton cleared.
Lamptey and Billy Gilmour both tested Maynard-Brewer from outside the box either side of a well-struck effort from Deniz Undav which Maynard-Brewer had to push to safety.
Undav then appeared to have his ankles clipped but referee Thomas Bramall waved away what looked a strong penalty claim. Albion had upped the ante since half-time and Charlton were indebted to Maynard-Brewer again on the hour when Levi Colwill met Gross’s corner with a powerful header which the Charlton keeper turned over at full stretch.
Solly March was next to threaten. A slaloming run through the Charlton defence opened up space but his right-foot shot skidded inches past the far post before the winger teed up Caicedo for a shot from inside the D, but it was always going over.
Maynard-Brewer was in top form. He sprung to his left to push away Trossard’s low drive before the Belgian’s curling cross from the right found Dunk but he headed wide. With ten minutes to go the game was being played almost entirely in Charlton’s half.
There were seven additional minutes but we couldn’t find a way through. So to penalties – and a missed opportunity for Albion.
Albion: Steele, Lamptey, Dunk, Colwill, Gross, March, Lallana (Trossard 62), Enciso (Mitoma 45), Undav (Ferguson 78), Caicedo, Gilmour (Estupinan 62). Subs: McGill, Sarmiento, Veltman, Moran.
Attendance: 17464 (6264 Albion fans)