Albion scored seven goals for the first time in their WSL history to give Mikey Harris his first league win as interim head coach.
There were six different scorers as Albion opened up a 4-1 lead but were pegged back to 4-3 before they regrouped impressively, adding three more goals in the closing stages.
Elisabeth Terland scored twice and now has 12 league goals for the season while Tatiana Pinto, Madison Haley and Vicky Losada all netted their first WSL goals for the club. Pauline Bremer and Katie Robinson were also on target as Albion moved eight points clear of bottom of the table City and into ninth place.
With Poppy Pattinson suspended Albion moved Emma Kullberg across to the left and brought in Bremer at right-back and the visitors got on top from the start.
Terland tested Olivia Clark with a shot from 20 yards and Vea Sarri squandered a great opportunity when she was played into space by Terland but screwed her shot wide of the far post.
With Julia Zigiotti and Vicky dominating midfield Albion struck twice in four minutes to take control.
On 20 minutes Guro Bergsvand had an assist to celebrate on her 30th birthday when she flicked on Losada’s inswinging corner from the left and Terland smashed the loose ball into the roof of the net.
Four minutes later they doubled the lead when Bremer’s shot came back off the inside of the post and the former German international reacted quickest to slam the rebound past Clark.
To their credit City responded positively and before the break Sophie Baggaley showed her alertness to save efforts from Lisa Evans and Carrie Jones but there was nothing she could do when the hosts halved their deficit two minutes into the second half.
Losada’s foul on Amy Rodgers gave ex-Seagull Megan Connolly the chance to curl a left-footed free-kick from the edge of the D over the defensive wall and into the top right-hand corner, giving Baggaley no chance.
But Albion hit back to restore their two-goal lead after 54 minutes. Maria Thorisdottir helped on Losada’s cross and Terland’s sweetly-struck right-foot shot flew past Clark.
Clark made a brilliant save to deny Terland her hat-trick ten minutes later but from the corner Losada’s left-wing cross was flicked past the City keeper by Pinto from close in to make it 4-1.
The home side, though, refused to give up and two goals in three minutes seemed to have changed the complexion of the game. Brooke Aspin buried a fine header into the bottom corner after 71 minutes before turning provider with a pass to Amalie Thestrup whose powerful drive from 12 yards flew past Baggaley.
Aspin was inches away from equalising with another header and Albion seemed to be on the ropes, but they weathered the storm and stunned City with three late goals.
The fifth was Albion’s best of the match. Haley’s lay-off found fellow substitute Geummin Lee who fed Robinson down the right. The England winger pulled the ball into the six-yard box and Haley, who had continued her run, smashed it home from close range.
Relief all round for Albion and in stoppage time they added two more goals. Losada confidently converted a penalty after Robinson was brought down before Robinson was rewarded for a fine performance when she latched onto Lee’s pass, rounded Clark and slotted into an empty net.
Albion: Baggaley, Bremer, Thorisdottir, Bergsvand, Kullberg (Mengwen 67), Losada, Zigiotti, Sarri (Lee 74), Pinto (Johnson 90+5), Robinson (Dent 90+5), Terland (Haley 74). Subs not used: Loeck, Startup.
Referee: Adewunmi Soneye
Attendance: 3648
Match report in association with SnickersUK.com