Soucek's late winner leaves Cooper angry at defensive lapses

To establish Nottingham Forest as a Premier League club - and keep Steve Cooper, a manager beloved among its fans in situ- an improvement in away form is desperately required. A game lost from a winning position, albeit one held for just 43 seconds of play, was a severe blow to both objectives.

- John Brewin

West Ham 3

Nottm Forest 2

Even though they knew what was coming, Forest's failure to deal with James Ward-Prowse's expert delivery from corners and Tomas Soucek's aerial prowess cost them the point to which they had been clinging since Jarrod Bowen's headed equaliser.

That, too, arrived via Ward-Prowse's boot. One win from seven, four points away from the City Ground, and 15th place with Bournemouth improving fast, spells imminent danger.

"We've not done our jobs and been punished for it," said Cooper, for whom Ward-Prowse's "fantastic" delivery offered no excuses. "If you are not willing to stay with your man and head the ball then you are at the risk of conceding goals. I am really disappointed that we have not won, and it's all our own fault."

While speculation over the widely admired Cooper may seem odd to outsiders, Evangelos Marinakis is an owner with his own, wilful mind, even if retaining the Welshman's steady hand seems a worthy route to becoming the next Brighton or Brentford. Or indeed a West Ham, even if David Moyes's team have lately been enjoying cup competitions and European expeditions rather than the Premier League. This was a first win in five league matches.