Ollie Scarles in tears after his mistake gifts Fulham victory at West Ham
The Hammers looked set to earn a point until five minutes from full-time when 20-year-old full-back Scarles took an air-shot at a clearance.
West Ham youngster Ollie Scarles was in tears after his mistake gifted Fulham a 1-0 win and deepened his side’s relegation fears.
The Hammers looked set to earn a point until five minutes from full-time when 20-year-old full-back Scarles took an air-shot at a clearance, allowing Harry Wilson to lift a cross to the far post for Raul Jimenez to tuck home.
“We are all disappointed and sad, but we stick together,” said boss Nuno Espirito Santo.
“He has our total confidence and support. Mistakes are part of the game.
“Today and tonight is going to be tough, but tomorrow is another day and then we are playing again.”
Manchester City’s lunchtime victory at Nottingham Forest gave the Hammers the chance to cut the gap to 17th place to just two points.
But instead they remain five points adrift of safety after the first of a run of supposedly winnable games, with Brighton and Forest still to come to east London, either side of a trip to rock-bottom Wolves.
There was little festive good cheer in the air at the London Stadium, with West Ham supporters holding up red cards and chanting “sack the board” in the latest protest against owner David Sullivan and vice-chair Karren Brady.
On the pitch, the Hammers have won just two matches at home this season, lost their last six London derbies and taken just three points from their last seven games, which is definitely relegation form.
“I felt the momentum was ours, we created situations,” added Nuno.
“We felt that the goal was coming, but in the end we got punished and after that there was not too much time.
“What is my main concern? How to win a game. It’s what we think, it’s what we want, it’s what we work for, it’s what the boys try.
“We can spend hours and hours talking about all the aspects, but basically when you don’t score, the situation that we are in, everything bad happens to us.”
Jimenez’s second goal in as many matches fired Fulham to a third straight win for the first time in almost three years.
“A very tight game, as we expected,” said boss Marco Silva. “It was important for the home team to win this afternoon but we showed our ambition.
“The game looked like being a draw but the team showed the ambition to try to win the game. Three wins in a row in the Premier League is very difficult to achieve so the players deserve all the credit.”
