Albion had Maisie Symonds sent off as they were held at home by bottom-of-the-table Crystal Palace in WSL.

The midfielder was shown a straight red early in the second half of a nervy 1-1 draw at the Broadfield Stadium.

Albion led through a gift own goal at the time but were pegged back by My Cato late in the contest.

The lead came on 18 minutes when Palace goalkeeper Milla-Maj Majasaari failed to control a tame back pass by Lily Woodham and could only chase in vain as the ball rolled into the net.

Albion played plenty of patient football and thought they should have had a golden chance to double their lead right on half-time.

Majasaari fouled Nikita Parris inches outside the box and the ball ran to Rachel McLauchlan with the keeper still on the ground.

But, as defenders got back, referee Stacey Fullicks decided there was no advantage and awarded the free-kick, from which Majasaari denied Poppy Pattinson in the top corner.

Fullicks was back in the spotlight three minutes into the restart when she showed Symonds a straight red for her lunge on Aimee Everett in midfield.

Marisa Olislagers, sent on to fill the gap left by Symonds in midfield, almost extended the lead when she shot narrowly wide.

But Palace levelled when Woodham’s low cross caused problems and Cato’s shot deflected past wrong-footed goalkeeper Melina Loeck.

That came in the 88th minute, but with ten minutes of added time, was not as dramatically timed as first appeared.

Both teams chased the win in stoppage time and Albion went closest when Olislagers hit the post as she ran clear.