Albion slipped into the relegation zone after another dismal defeat - this time going 1-0 down to Preston.
Steve Bruce made six changes to the side which surrendered the lead to Swansea at the weekend. However it took Preston - a side which had scored just 3 times all season - just 7 minutes to open the scoring.
The excellent Grady Diangana was inches away from finding an equaliser soon after, with Jed Wallace also stinging the palms of the Preston 'keeper before half time.
The Baggies were improved after the break and should've equalised when Karlon Grant fired straight at the legs of the keeper when clean through.
Albion huffed and puffed for an equailser and should've been awarded a penalty when Diangana was pulled back by a Daniel Storey in the area.
Substitute Tom Rogic then wasted another chance when his tame effort was easily stopped by the Preston stopper Woodman.
The defeat, Albion's third in four games, saw the Baggies slip down into 22nd place in the Championship and into the relegation zone as the heat cranks up on Steve Bruce.
The Baggies boss has now won just once in 12 games this season as Albion's promotion push has been derailled just four months into the new campaign.