West Ham Edge Past Burnley To Lift Gloom After Fans Fume At Ownership

Despair and rancour stalks nan actual corridors of nan spot that still feels thing for illustration location for West Ham. Though dream is not yet extinguished. A 2nd location triumph successful succession for Nuno Espírito Santo’s team, nan cardinal extremity scored by aged religious Tomas Soucek. The conclusion of a chap relegation contender successful Burnley whitethorn beryllium captious successful nan conflict against nan London Stadium staging Championship shot adjacent season. When Soucek’s changeable was spilled into Kyle Walker-Peters way for nan Hammers’ third, location fans were singing lustily for their team.

They already made it known erstwhile again, and successful nary uncertain terms, what they deliberation of nan executives moving nan club. Following a protestation against Crystal Palace, boycotting of nan Brentford game, a sit-in against Newcastle, unhappy supporters staged a march. A banner declared “15 years of denying West Ham United”. The work roadworthy that surrounds nan stadium was filled pinch thousands of protestors, nan entranceway for nine directors’ luxury cars was blocked off. Black balloons floated, a coffin was carried connected shoulders arsenic fans sang West Ham had “sold our soul” by moving to nan erstwhile Olympic stadium.

The first location triumph of nan play against Newcastle had done thing to dim dissatisfaction pinch co-owner David Sullivan and vice-chair Baroness Brady. Though hardly nan first dissent of their stewardship, a captious wide is being reached. That will only beryllium furthered by nan still lingering threat of relegation.

Pre-match affirmative vibes were astatine slightest fixed disconnected by Freddie Potts, teenage prima of that Newcastle win, again starting successful midfield. He has nan look of nan archetypal West Ham midfielder: upright, strolling, tin of picking a pass, pinch nary small wound successful nan tackle, arsenic evidenced by an early situation to extremity Loum Tchaouna.

West Ham fans clasp a protestation against nan club’s owners earlier kickoff. Photograph: Bradley Collyer/PA

The Burnley head Scott Parker was specified a subordinate for West Ham, nan one-man squad of their 2010-11 relegation season. His players initially showed nan be aware of an outfit who had taken – pinch 7.4 – nan lowest ever mean shots per crippled crossed a Premier League play arsenic yet recorded.

Had Zian Flemming connected pinch Quilindschy Hartman’s cross, Burnley mightiness person taken an early lead. West Ham did small to assistance nan temper of a London Stadium echoing pinch chat alternatively than chants, and by midway done nan first half, Burnley were mounting astir expanding that changeable average. Lucas Paquetá collected a 5th booking of nan play and truthful suspension for smashing into Florentino Luís.

Flemming sewage to unrecorded doubly by heading location Burnley’s goal, allowed by Maximilian Kilman to motion in. Burnley’s shot-shyness is levelled retired by a precocious conversion rate. Only past did West Ham assistance themselves, Jarrod Bowen’s changeable deflecting wide, Callum Wilson astatine past progressive successful proceedings. After CrysencioSummerville skated into nan box, nan No 9 nodded location to equalise connected nan changeable of half time.

As a erstwhile Millwall player, Flemming received immoderate barracking from location fans, but continued to show immoderate neat touches while starring nan Burnley line, and headed different chance narrowly complete nan bar. Despite a taped Ray Winstone rallying outcry successful nan concourses; nan location fans were slow to return to their seats aft nan break.

Callum Wilson scores West Ham’s first extremity against Burnley. Photograph: Tony O Brien/Reuters

Potts pulling up pinch a musculus problem was different sad show for location fans, Soucek replacing him earlier West Ham had an improved spell, Summerville’s buzzing activity to nan fore, though Bowen was short of his accustomed influence.

Parker, sensing an distant triumph was possible, introduced Hannibal Mejbri and Armando Broja, Flemming and Ugochukwu, departing. Nuno’s withdrawal of Wilson for Soungoutou Magassa, a protect player, showed his deficiency of options successful attack.

Soucek remains a Hammers talisman, his platform of important goals usually arsenic untidy arsenic his close-range bundling location of a Paquetá shot, pursuing a corner, that nan Burnley goalkeeper Martin Dubravkacould only deflect into nan Czech’s path. Burnley’s erstwhile style and ratio had departed arsenic Walker-Peters wrapped up nan points aft Soucek drove forward. Parker’s squad were dormant level pinch West Ham successful nan array until Josh Cullen’s dying-seconds goal, different untidy bundle location aft a correction by a goalkeeper successful Alphonse Areola, separated them. A agelong roadworthy lies up for both.