Albion Women suffered a penalty shootout defeat to Wolves Women in their Birmingham County FA Challenge Cup semi-final at Compton Park on Sunday afternoon.
The Baggies started the game in rampant fashion, scoring twice in the opening 10 minutes through Simran Jhamat and Lucy Newell.
But they were pegged back through Ellie Wilson and Jade Cross, leaving the hosts to triumph on penalties.
Head coach Siobhan Hodgetts-Still made two alterations to the team which was narrowly defeated by Halifax Women last weekend. The boss opted for a change in system, restoring Ashlee Brown and Delphi Cole to the line-up in the process.
The visitors grabbed the opener inside 30 seconds - Cole headed Phoebe Warner's cross goalwards, and Jhamat bundled it over the line to give the Baggies the lead.
Albion continued their quick opening and soon doubled their advantage, as Hannah George’s free-kick was flicked on cleverly by Newell into the bottom corner.
Wanderers soon got their foot on the ball, though, and got one back through Wilson - the Wolves player steaming in to nod home.
As the typically competitive derby clash continued to fizzle, Brown then found George in the box, but her glancing header was held by Bec Thomas.
The second half brought with it a wave of pressure for the hosts, however Albion also sought to increase their advantage - and nearly did when Mariam Mahmood slalomed her way towards the area, only to be denied.
Wolves might have found an equaliser earlier had it not been for Anna Miller, the goalkeeper making herself big to save from Beth Merrick’s effort and maintain the Albion advantage for the time being.
Heartbreakingly for Albion, the leveller came in stoppage time via Cross, the substitute tapping home following a goalmouth scramble to take the tie to penalties.
Thomas then produced two shootout saves to send Wolves into the final, leaving the Baggies to return their focus to FA Women’s National League North action.
Albion Women next play on Sunday, March 3, away at Huddersfield Town.
Albion: Miller, Reynolds, Reavill, Newell (Rabjohn 45’), Brown, Loydon, Orthodoxou, George (Crackle 83’), Jhamat (Mahmood 70’), Warner, Cole (Evans 75’).
Subs: Jones.
Albion shootout order: Fran Orthodoxou – Saved. Mariam Mahmood – Saved. Phoebe Warner – Scored. Olivia Rabjohn – Scored.