Tony Pulis' Selhurst Park return ended with West Brom taking all three points thanks to goals from James Morrison and Craig Gardner, a result that brings Palace's charge up the table to an abrupt halt.
Defeat ended a run of four successive Premier League wins for Palace, but Pardew was happy with certain aspects of the performance and urged his players to continue to play their attacking brand of football.
"It's very difficult to win five Premier League games," said Pardew. "We've come up short.
"We could've survived and got the first goal and it would be been very different game. But we won't go away from what we do, we try to pass it, try to find a way through.
"We worked hard enough, but we just couldn't find that moment or that goal. That's crucial. In the previous four games we've found them at the right times. The margins are very slim in this league.
"I think they [Palace's players] tried everything to find a way through, but it's difficult when you concede to West Brom, they pack the defence, pack the penalty area and make it difficult to get through.
"I couldn't fault my team. We tried everything we could."
