Albion are probably still wondering how on earth it happened.

How they went from 1-0 up in the second minute of stoppage time to 2-1 down two minutes later.

Of course, it is hard to take but they should not feel hard done by.

Far from it, because in the game of late swings and roundabouts they are still comfortable winners so far this season.

Southend, Hartlepool and Bournemouth were all beaten by injury-time goals and it was only a few weeks ago that the departed Nathan Elder came on to salvage a last-gasp draw at Oldham.

Remove those seven extra points and Albion would be fretting about relegation, rather than despairing over the failure to re-ignite their play-off ambitions.

Then there was that late leveller by substitute Doug Loft at Whaddon Road earlier in the season which snatched an FA Cup replay.

Cheltenham will feel, with some justification, that the the balance was simply redressed by their dramatic comeback.

Yes, Albion spurned chances to move into what surely would have been an unassailable lead in the last ten minutes but their struggling hosts did not deserve to lose.

They are much improved since the Seagulls ousted them from both the FA Cup and Johnstone's Paint Trophy in November.

While Albion now possess a serious pair of strikers in Nicky Forster and Glenn Murray, Cheltenham also have a forward duo who could rescue them from relegation.

Steven Gillespie impressed in those earlier confrontations. The Liverpudlian has now been joined by Steve Brooker, signed on loan from Bristol City last month along with midfielder Alex Russell.

Gillespie and Brooker, back from a groin injury, caused Albion's back four plenty of problems, ironically more so in the first half than the second.

Dean Wilkins and his players must be sick of the sight of Gillespie. He scored in both FA Cup ties and he produced the final twist of the knife after Russell latched onto a long ball, straight down the middle of the pitch, to lob Cheltenham level.

Wilkins, worried about Gillespie's knack of finding space in between and in behind defenders, brought John Sullivan back onto the bench as goalkeeping cover for the first time in the League since November in case Michel Kuipers found himself in a one-on-one and got sent-off.

Hey presto, that is precisely what happened in the fourth minute of stoppage time, except that Kuipers did not bring Gillespie down. Cheltenham's elusive top scorer rounded the Dutchman's desperate dive to slot the winner.

That was rough on Kuipers, because he had done more than anyone to leave Albion scenting victory.

He was forced into urgent action a number of times, most notably early on when an outstretched right leg denied Gillespie and then acrobatically with 17 minutes left when Russell let fly from 30 yards.

Andrew Whing's goal-line clearance from Russell's resulting corner onto the head of Gavin Caines suggested it was not going to be Cheltenham's day. Little did we know what was in store.

Albion struggled for fluency throughout, with the exception of Jake Robinson's neatly constructed fourth goal of the season ten minutes into the restart.

A Matt Richards cross was laid off by Murray to Dean Cox and Robinson ran onto his pass to drill between the legs of keeper Shane Higgs.

Wilkins said: "It was probably one of the best moves of the game. It was fluent, it had quality, the movement was good and the finish was good. We had other situations like that in the second half where we did not quite provide the finish."

Robinson was removed for tactical reasons soon after scoring, Wilkins opting for the more disciplined Wes Fogden. It was incidental to the outcome because Albion, and Murray in particular, had opportunities to put the issue beyond doubt in Robinson's absence.

As if the manner of defeat was not painful enough, the midfield shortage has deepened. Adam El-Abd's fifth booking of the season, for a foul, rules him out of the swift chance for revenge when Cheltenham visit a week tomorrow and heightens the urgency of loan re-enforcements.

Wilkins said: "We are light in numbers and it's a difficult time of year to get the sort of experience you would ideally like.

"We have to work hard now to try and bring players into the club who are going to be different or do a better job than the players are at the moment."

El-Abd is available tomorrow against Tranmere, the first of five home games in succession and realistically one last chance to keep play-off hopes flickering.

The table emphasises that, if not quite a must-win, it is surely a must-not-lose. Tranmere, currently occupying the final play-off spot, are nine points better off but have played three matches more.

Wilkins said: "We've had a run of nine games in 14 away from home. Now we suddenly have a run of home games and we need to try to take advantage of that to get us back up to where we all want to be."

Even if it means adding to that list of late, late winners.

ALBION (4-4-2): Michel Kuipers (GK), Andrew Whing (RB), Tommy Elphick (CB), Guy Butters (CB), Matt Richards (LB), Jake Robinson (RM), Adam El-Abd (CM), Steven Thomson (CM), Dean Cox (LM), Glenn Murray (CF), Nicky Forster (CF). Subs: Wes Fogden (for Robinson, 63), Joe Gatting (for Butters, 90), Shane McFaul, Kerry Mayo, John Sullivan.

YELLOW CARDS: El-Abd (foul, 21), Fogden (foul, 80).

RED CARDS: None.

GOAL: Robinson (55).

CHELTENHAM (4-4-2): Shane Higgs (GK), Jeremy Gill (RB), Andy Gallinagh (CB), Gavin Caines (CB), Alan Wright (LB), Michael D'Agostino (RM), Dave Bird (CM), Alex Russell (CM), Andy Lindegaard (LM), Steve Brooker (CF), Steven Gillespie (CF). Subs: Scott Brown (for Lindegaard, 71), Paul Connor (for Brooker, 83), Ashley Vincent (for D'Agostino, 83), Scott P Brown, Craig Armstrong.

YELLOW CARD: Wright (foul, 87).

RED CARDS: None.

GOALS: Russell (90), Gillespie (90).

Did Albion deserve to lose in injury time?