A spirited Albion side fell to a 4-2 defeat at Chelsea in the Women’s Super League at Kingsmeadow on Sunday.
Pauline Bremer gave Albion the lead against the run of play in the 10th minute when she swept home Katie Robinson’s inch-perfect cross from inside the six-yard box.
But four goals from the champions, including a Sjoeke Nusken double, Guro Bergsvand's own goal and an Aggie Beever-Jones strike punished Melissa Phillips’s team.
Substitute Elisabeth Terland bagged her fifth goal of the season in all competitions with a neat finish a minute from time, but Albion slipped to a third straight league defeat.
The visitors were up against it early on and nearly went behind in the sixth minute when Fran Kirby’s left-footed effort crashed off the bar and was cleared away to safety.
However, Albion responded well to that warning and took the lead in fine fashion when Tatiana Pinto and Vicky Losada combined to win the ball back. Pinto found Robinson whose low delivery across the six-yard box from the right was swept home by Bremer for her first goal for the club.
The visitors then had to show their defensive skills as they repelled wave after wave of Chelsea attacks during a predictably strong response by the champions.
Sophie Baggaley, who replaced the ineligible Chelsea loanee Nicky Evrard in goal, made an excellent fingertip save to deny Nusken from close range and then produced a crucial block to frustrate Sam Kirby who was through on goal.
England star Kirby was twice foiled by the crossbar and Baggaley made a string of fine stops to preserve their lead. Albion’s advantage lasted deep into first-half stoppage time before the pressure told and Nusken headed in Jess Carter’s cross to make it 1-1.
German midfielder Nusken gave Chelsea the lead for the first time when she fired home Kerr’s pass seven minutes into the second half.
Emma Hayes’ players were well on top at this point but Bremer forced a good save out of Ann-Katrin Berger and the striker powered a header just wide of the goal around the hour mark.
A Bergsvand own goal under pressure from Nusken gave Chelsea extra breathing space before substitute Beever-Jones put the match beyond doubt with a close-range effort eight minutes from time.
Striker Terland continued her fine form with another goal after good work by substitutes Madison Haley and Maisie Symonds but the defending Premier League champions deservedly claimed the three points.
Albion: Baggaley, Thorisdottir, Bergsvand, Losada, Bremer (Haley 77), Lee (Terland 59), Carabali, Kullberg, Pinto (Symonds 59), Robinson (Sarri 67), Mengwen (Rule 67).
Subs not used: Startup, Pattinson, Zigiotti, Hawkesby.