West Ham miss opportunity to give survival hopes boost after Bournemouth draw

By Andy Sims, Press Association

West Ham missed the chance to give their survival hopes a huge shot in the arm after a goalless draw with Bournemouth.

The 18th-placed Hammers could have seriously put the frighteners on the teams above them, as a victory would have put them level on points with Nottingham Forest and two behind Tottenham, both of whom have tough games on Sunday.

But despite dominating for large parts against below-par Bournemouth, they were unable to eke out a goal with captain Jarrod Bowen firing a glorious stoppage-time opportunity over.

Instead, the Cherries left east London having stretched their unbeaten run to seven matches, after the seventh successive draw in this fixture.

However, a point may still prove crucial to West Ham in the grand scheme of the relegation dogfight, especially after Bournemouth winger Rayan clipped the woodwork in the second half.

West Ham made a bright start, winning a corner after only 13 seconds from which Axel Disasi had a header cleared off the line.

Moments later a cross from Taty Castellanos found Crysencio Summerville, who steered his first-time effort straight at Cherries keeper Dorde Petrovic.

The effervescent Summerville was being watched by Netherlands assistant coach Ruud van Nistelrooy and looked in the mood to impress.

One of the winger’s dangerous crosses had to be headed narrowly wide of his own goal by Adrien Truffert, before a second was gathered by Petrovic.

Shortly before half-time the 24-year-old, yet to be capped by his country, skipped around Marcos Senesi before curling a shot narrowly over.

The momentum was all with West Ham as Cherries boss Andoni Iraola cut a frustrated figure as he furiously scribbled notes from his seat in the stands, due to a touchline ban.

Disasi, rescued from Chelsea’s bomb squad last month, has injected a quiet air of authority in the Hammers’ previously angst-ridden defence.

With Evanilson and Junior Kroupi being kept in check, all Bournemouth had to show for their efforts in the first half were long-range efforts from Rayan and Alex Scott, both comfortably held by keeper Mads Hermansen.

After the break, West Ham midfielder Mateus Fernandes poked narrowly wide from another corner, before a first real glimpse of teenage Brazilian sensation Rayan almost put Bournemouth ahead.

The 19-year-old broke from his own half and cut inside before unleashing a vicious, curling shot which grazed the far post.

With Bournemouth now sensing they could get more than yet another draw from this fixture, El Hadji Malick Diouf had to make a superb block from Rayan and Hermansen held a Davis Brooks shot.

But they nearly found themselves when Bowen’s cross was acrobatically put wide by January signing Castellanos.

Petrovic had to make a fine reaction save from former Cherries striker Callum Wilson and Summerville’s drive was deflected over.

Then, in stoppage time, Summerville found Bowen in the area but the forward crashed their 20th shot of the match over the crossbar as the Hammers somehow drew a blank.