Bournemouth vs West Ham United. Premier League.
Vitality StadiumAttendance10,596.
Tuesday 26 December 2017 20:04, UK
A controversial injury-time goal from Callum Wilson saw Bournemouth snatch a thrilling 3-3 draw against West Ham, who thought they had won it late on.
James Collins (7) put West Ham ahead early on before Dan Gosling (30) levelled up for the hosts, although Bournemouth could have been down to 10 men not long after when Cheikhou Kouyate was caught in the face by the boot of Simon Francis.
Just 12 minutes after the restart and Bournemouth took the lead through Nathan Ake (57) and looked to be heading for a much-needed win before two mistakes from Asmir Begovic allowed Marko Arnautovic (82, 89) to put West Ham back in front.
But there was more to come as Wilson scored in the 93rd minute to seal a point for Bournemouth, although it was only given after a discussion between referee Bobby Madley and his linesman, who had initially flagged the goal for offside.
It was a fast start from West Ham, who took the lead inside seven minutes. Aaron Creswell whipped an inviting corner into the box, which Collins met at the near post with a great header after getting away from his marker Francis in the box.
Both sides could have scored the next goal with chances coming thick and fast, but it was Bournemouth who found the net first as they got themselves on level terms. Ryan Fraser delivered a superb free-kick into the box and despite Collins initially getting a head to it, the rebound fell to Gosling who slotted home.
But Bournemouth could have gone down to 10 men in the 33rd minute after Francis caught Cheikhou Kouyate in the face with a high boot after attempting to go for the ball. After a ruckus between the two teams, the Cherries captain only received a yellow card while Kouyate had an extended spell with the medical team.
The hosts started the second half well and took the lead in the 57th minute. After playing a short corner, the ball was worked to Lewis Cook near the top left corner and he whipped into the box, with the bobbling delivery landing at the feet of Ake who swept home.
As in the first period, there were numerous chances for both sides, but it took until the 82nd minute for either to make the breakthrough, and it came courtesy of a horrible mistake from Begovic. He miss-kicked a seemingly simple back pass clearance, which landed to the waiting Arnautovic and he made no mistake in slotting home to put West Ham level.
Seven minutes later, and West Ham thought they had won the game after another poor bit of play from Begovic. He failed to properly clear a shot from Hernandez on the right of the box, with his two-footed saved seeing the ball again fall to Arnautovic, who poked home at the near post.
But the controversy came in six minutes of added time as Bournemouth searched for the equaliser. Ake headed the ball across the face of goal, which met the head of Wilson at the near post and he nodded home, but the ball also appeared to hit his hand as it went in.
However, the goal was initially ruled out by the linesman, who raised his flag for offside, but after a discussion with Madley, the referee signalled that the goal would stand despite the two incidents.
Eddie Howe: "I don't know where to start. A total mixture of emotions and I felt like the game was ours at 2-1, we had so many chances to make it three and put it to bed but we didn't take them.
"I've got no big opinion of it [Wilson's goal], but I was pleased to see it go in. I saw the flag and the longer the linesman and referee talked, I didn't think it would be given but I was delighted to see it. It was more than we deserved. I thought we were excellent and we should have won the game."
David Moyes: "I don't know how it was overruled. I don't know how or why he [Madley] would have to go to him if the linesman gives an offside. You rarely see that in any game where a linesman puts his flag up and it would be changed.
"The referee will see it himself. They get disappointed if they don't get it right. The last thing we want to do is blame referees, they do a great job in this country and I always think they try and referee each game as best they can."
He may not have got onto the scoresheet, but Fraser was instrumental in Bournemouth's attacking play on Tuesday, with his fine free-kick delivery leading to the first half equaliser for the hosts.
He was a constant menace for the hosts, picking up a number of free-kicks as West Ham looked to stop him in his tracks, and looks to be getting back to his best.
Bournemouth are next in Premier League action on Saturday when they welcome Everton to the Vitality Stadium. West Ham will not play again until 2018, when they travel to West Brom on Tuesday, January 2.
