Last-Gasp Equaliser from Rutter Delivers Draw for Albion, Leaving The Hammers in Drop Battle.
Trapped for much of the match, Brighton were caught in Nuno Espírito Santo's tactical cage. The strategy seemed to have worked when West Ham's talisman scored a lightning break, driving home from a tight angle only seconds after Callum Wilson stepped onto the field. Yet, in keeping with their reputation at the Amex, Brighton staged a last-minute rally, with Georginio Rutter smashing in the equalising goal from inside the box to snatch a share of the spoils.
An Game of Few Chances and Grim Conditions
For much of the game, Brighton's offensive play was unusually blunt, unable to register a single shot on target. Their hopes of returning to European football are being undermined by such inconsistency. The visitors, also battling at the foot of the table, adopted a deep line, happy to defend and play long balls for their quick attackers to pursue. Awful wind and rain only disrupted any flow of the game.
“The grimmer the conditions got, the greater the chance of a mistake or lucky bounce leading to a goal,” the feeling grew.
Bowen Strikes Before Dramatic Twist
0-0 was finally broken in West Ham's favor. A rare error from Albion centre-back van Hecke was pounced on by Callum Wilson, who immediately sent Bowen through on goal to score. The goal seemed to have sealed a crucial win for West Ham in their battle against relegation. The Seagulls, awoken by the conceded goal, pushed for an equaliser, coming close when Kilman almost turned the ball into his own net.
Home Drama Delivers Once More
Given that late goals have become habitual at the Amex Stadium, the home supporters kept a glimmer of hope. Their faith was justified in during dying stages. Amid a chaotic penalty area melee, Jan Paul van Hecke displayed calm to slide the ball across the six-yard box, where Georginio Rutter arrived to crash it into the roof of the net. The leveler sparked rapturous celebrations from the Brighton contingent, while it was a crushing blow to West Ham's survival hopes.
The draw fails to alleviate the drop zone fears for West Ham, who remain firmly entrenched in the fight at the bottom of the Premier League. For Brighton, it is another instance of their never-say-die attitude, but also highlights the inconsistency that are holding back their campaign.
