Jonny Evans' enforced substitution was the key moment in West Brom losing at Bournemouth despite taking the lead, according to Alan Pardew.
Jay Rodriguez put West Brom on track for their first away win in the league since August, only for Jordon Ibe and Junior Stanislas to turn the game around after club captain Evans was withdrawn.
West Brom are now 10 points adrift of safety with seven games to go and their fate appears to be sealed, but Pardew suggested the Baggies did not deserve to be beaten at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday.
"I was pleased with every individual, really," Pardew told a news conference after West Brom suffered a seventh consecutive Premier League defeat.
"We were certainly unlucky because we weren't expecting to lose Jonny Evans. That little change was unfortunate, he couldn't move. He didn't have the energy levels after being ill last week.
"We didn't really think that was going to happen. It's just tough. There's things going against us. When you're down the bottom of the league that does happen. Unfortunately for us, we are running out of time.
"I just think there’s certain areas of the team where we make mistakes and get punished. It’s difficult. This was particularly harsh, we didn't make many errors in the whole game but unfortunately we've lost.
The fighting spirit and never say die attitude shows the character of this club! Happy to play my part ry important win before the internationals...the vitality was bouncingMarch 17, 2018
Bournemouth's comeback ended a four-game winless run, the Cherries having lost their last match 4-1 at home to Tottenham.
The top-flight status of Eddie Howe's side appears all but assured for another season, with 36 points on the board.
"I'm thrilled with us producing another comeback," said Howe. "Trust me, we don't want to do it that way, but at this point of the season I think I'll take any way if it means us getting three points.
"West Brom made it tough, they are a very experienced side, they have very experienced Premier League players and an experienced manager, so it was hard to find a way to win against them.
"It was important to get a result off the back of the Tottenham and Leicester games. I thought we played very well in those games and today we didn't.
"But football has a strange way of working like that. We want to try and win every game and there's only seven to go now."
Decent comeback from the boys today and nothing better than three points... March 17, 2018
