Albion suffered late heartbreak at their hoodoo ground tonight – in a game they could have won.

The Seagulls were sent to a harsh 1-0 defeat by Sheffield Wednesday, a club they have never beaten in the steel city.

Leon Best scored the winner in the 90th minute as a poor touch by Bruno midway inside his own half gave them chance to counter.

It was cruel on the visitors.

Albion, with Leo Ulloa, absent through illness, kept the ball on the deck in attack.

But they almost scored with an effort of which the Argentinean would have approved as David Rodriguez headed a Forster-Caskey corner against the bar on 15 minutes.

Neat approach play by Jake Forster-Caskey sent Will Buckley clean through after the break.

But Chris Kirkland stayed on his feet long enough to deflect the Albion man’s effort behind.

Tomasz Kuszczak was a spectator – until he stood strong to block a volley from the clean-through Benik Afobe.

But he could do nothing when Best clinically rolled the winner between his outstretched grasp and the far post.