GUTSY ten-man Albion suffered a sickening, last-gasp, third successive league defeat.

Everything looked rosy in the Baggies' garden when Neil Clement's first goal for 16 months fired Tony Mowbray's men into a deserved 26th-minute lead.

But Albion's world was turned upside down before the break.

They conceded goals from Clinton Morrison and Ben Watson in the 35th and 41st minutes respectively, sandwiching the loss of skipper Curtis Davies to injury and his replacement Martin Albrechtsen to a red card.

Kevin Phillips capped an incredible second-half fightback by clawing the hosts level 14 minutes from time with his 15^th of the season - but there was to be a final, heartbreaking twist.

In the fourth minute of stoppage-time, Eagles substitute Lewis Grabban took advantage of a lucky ricochet off Paul Robinson and Dean Kiely to steal all three points.

Mowbray's side deserve enormous credit for the energy and drive they put into a memorable second-half display to nullify their one-man disadvantage.

Their efforts were not lost on the home hordes, who shrugged off their bitter disappointment to sing the players off the pitch.

Tuesday night's results provided Albion with a massive incentive to get back to winning ways following back-to-back defeats against promotion-rivals Sunderland and Wolves.

T he top four all failed to win which meant a victory would propel the Baggies up to fourth.

Albion started the game sixth - five places and 11 points better off than the South London outfit.

The Baggies immediately pushed Palace onto the back-foot and Diomansy Kamara would have been disappointed not to find unmarked strike partner Phillips at the back post following a swift break down the left, with his cross cannoning off an Eagles defender to safety.

A terrific Robinson tackle sent up a shooting chance for Phillips moments later, but the Ex-England man was off target from 25 yards.

Albion looked bright in possession but it was from a well-worked set piece that they threatened next.

Jonathan Greening and Clement caught the South Londoners on the hop with a short-corner routine which resulted in the latter drilling the ball over Gabor Kiraly's bar from 15 yards.

Following a brief spell of Palace pressure which came to nothing, Kamara spearheaded another Albion attack when he tied Leon Cort in knots before forcing a fine near-post block out of Kiraly.

The rebound flew to Greening on the edge of the box and the central midfielder's first-time shot was blocked by centre-half Mark Hudson - much to the grounded Hungarian keeper's relief.

Although Albion recorded plenty of efforts on goal during the opening 20 minutes, Palace made life difficult for them by packing plenty of men behind the ball.

But the hosts still snatched a crucial 26th-minute breakthrough.

Sunday's Molineux defeat was the first time in 21 matches Albion had failed to score - and Clement ensured there wasn't going to be a repeat after Kamara was fouled 20 yards out.

The Baggies centre-half cheekily curled a delicious free-kick under the Palace wall - which jumped in unison - and inside the bottom right-hand corner of the net.

Within minutes, only Hudson's last-ditch headed clearance from inside the six-yard box denied Kamara the simplest of goals following Robinson's terrific run and cross.

But the Baggies were pegged back by a 35th-minute bolt out of the blue.

Morrison expertly steered the ball past Dean Kiely from15 yards after Albion had sloppily failed to clear James Scowcroft's flick-on. It was the visitors' first shot.

Albion suffered a further blow in conceding the goal as skipper Davies limped out of the action. He was replaced by Albrechtsen.

But there was to be another twist for the Baggies in the 40th minute when they lost both a man and a goal.

Albrechtsen, who had been on the field just TWO minutes, was red-carded for a professional foul inside the box on Michael Hughes as the ex-Northern Ireland international bore down on goal from Scowcroft's flick-on.

Midfielder Watson coolly sent Kiely the wrong way from the penalty spot as Palace somehow found themselves 2-1 up having recorded just two efforts on goal.

That was the final action of an eventful half, enabling the Hawthorns hordes to take a deep breath and digest what they had just witnessed.

Albion had a real let off just four minutes after the break.

Clement pulled off a goal-saving block to prevent Scowcroft turning home Gary Borrowdale's cross from close range.

However, the ball broke kindly for Morrison who could only volley wastefully against the bar from 12 yards.

Despite being a man down, Mowbray had gone for broke since half-time by playing a 3-4-2 formation.

It often left Albion exposed at the back, but it also created chances at the other end, even though Zoltan Gera failed to trouble compatriot Kiraly with a weak 18-yard shot.

Albion were relieved to see Tom Soares head straight at Kiely after Cort had directed a Palace corner back into the danger-zone - before the action swung straight to the other end.

Kiraly had to pull off a 57th-minute wonder save to keep out Kamara's powerful drive from an acute angle - but Palace broke back downfield and almost snatched a third.

Scowcroft raced clear of the Albion defence, only to be denied by Kiely, and Robinson reacted quickest to the rebound to deny Morrison a simple tap-in.

Albion were busting a gut to try to break down Palace's stubborn rearguard action but it was Soares who recorded the next effort on goal, firing just wide from 18 yards.

But the Baggies snatched a 76th-minute lifeline.

Phillips raced onto Kamara's exquisite through-pass and poked the ball inside Kiraly's far post to make it 2-2.

It was all Albion now and Phillips went agonisingly close again six minutes from time when he fired just over from Kamara's slide-rule pass.

The Baggies threatened once more when Robinson flashed a header just wide from Gera's deep cross before sub Robert Koren fired inches over from 20 yards.

But, despite Albion's brave efforts, it was Palace who stole all the points as they sprang forward in the fourth minute of stoppage time.

After Scowcroft had sent Grabban racing clear, Robinson dispossessed the Palace sub with a last-ditch tackle.

But the ball squirmed back off Grabban towards goal. Kiely kept it out with a stunning reflex save but the ball broke back to Grabban who tucked it into an empty net.

It was a cruel end to a gut-wrenching evening.

ALBION (4-4-2): Kiely; McShane, C Davies (Albrechtsen 38), Clement, Robinson; Gera, Chaplow (Koren 58), Greening, Koumas; Phillips, Kamara. Subs not used: Daniels (gk), Carter, MacDonald.

PALACE (4-4-2): Kiraly; Lawrence, Hudson, Cort, Borrowdale (Butterfield 72); Soares, Fletcher, Watson, Hughes (Grabban 86); Scowcroft, Morrison (Martin 78). Subs not used: Speroni (gk), Freedman.

GOALS: ALBION - Clement (26), Phillips (76). PALACE - Morrison (35), Watson (pen 41), Grabban (90+4).

BOOKINGS: ALBION - Phillips (dissent 82).

SENDING-OFF: Albrechtsen (professional foul, 40).

REFEREE: K Friend (Leicestershire).

ATTENDANCE: 17,960.

ALBION STARMAN: Paul Robinson.