Sports
Hammers seven points from safety after late penalty
Nottingham Forest pushed West Ham further into trouble in the Premier League as Sean Dyche’s side fought back to take a massive three points at the London Stadium.
Morgan Gibbs-White’s 89th-minute penalty silenced an incensed home crowd and left the Hammers seven points from safety.
The Hammers would have moved to within a point of the visitors with a much-needed home win and led at the break thanks to an own goal from Forest centre-half Murillo.
Nuno Espirito Santo thought he had daylight against his old side when winger Crysencio Summerville drilled in a fine second at the start of the second half.
But after a lengthy delay the goal was chalked off because new signing Valentin Castellanos was offside in the build-up.
It proved crucial as moments later Forest equalised in bizarre fashion as Nicolas Dominguez’s header looped into the far corner in almost slow motion.
And things got worse for the hosts right at the end as goalkeeper Alphonse Areola came for a cross and punched Gibbs-White instead of the ball.
VAR advised referee Tony Harrington to review the incident and once the inevitable penalty was awarded, Gibbs-White kept cool to slot home.
West Ham were without Callum Wilson, with the striker understood to have already negotiated his departure having been removed from the squad earlier in the day.
Omari Hutchinson’s attempt at a Cruyff turn near his own corner flag backfired when he conceded a corner, and when Tomas Soucek flicked on Summerville’s delivery Murillo inadvertently headed past his own keeper.
Dominguez then met Elliot Anderson’s corner at the near post and his header looped up and over Kyle Walker-Peters at the far post.
The winner came after Areola came out to clear another corner only to catch Gibbs-White in the face.
