Albion's winless run extended to 11 Championship games - despite first league goals for the club by two of their strikers.
Adrian Colunga and Sam Baldock scored equalisers but the Seagulls lost 3-2 at Bournemouth.
Substitute Yann Kermogant hit the 76th minute winner from a penalty conceded by Lewis Dunk.
That moment, as Dunk slid in needlessly on Callum Wilson, summed up an at times shaky defensive performance from the Seagulls in front of debut goalkeeper Ali Al-Habsi.
They were not helped by losing Aaron Hughes, brought into the side at right-back, early on with what looked an ankle injury.
Gordon Greer turned Simon Francis's dangerous cross into his own net on 25 minutes.
But Colunga needed just three minutes to reply with a classy finish as he ran on to Joao Teixeira's through ball and rounded Artur Boruc.
Marc Pugh's shot flicked off Dunk to put Bournemouth back ahead on 38 minutes but Baldock raced clear to level on 61.
Albion had a good spell after that but could not go ahead.
And Kermogant kept his nerve to send them to what was arguably a harsh defeat.
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