West Ham striker David Connolly was controversially sent off in a bad-tempered
1-0 defeat at Crystal Palace which left his side's play-off hopes hanging by a
thread.
The Hammers suffered a fourth straight away defeat to a promotion rival at
Selhurst Park after Connolly was dismissed for two bookable offences in the
first-half, although the second was hotly contested.
The Republic of Ireland striker hauled down Danny Butterfield eight minutes
after being booked for a foul on Danny Granville to leave the Hammers with 10
men for almost an hour.
Dougie Freedman then hit a 55th-minute winner which ensured Palace a fourth
win in five games and lifted them to within a point of their London rivals with
a game in hand.
The Hammers missed Michael Carrick and Steve Lomas in midfield, and tried to
out-muscle their opponents from the start.
Tomas Repka sparked the game into life with a recklessly late foul on Palace
top scorer Johnson, which earned him an early yellow card.
Both teams harbour play-off ambitions and the tension exploded when Connolly
earned his second booking in the 36th minute.
The Hammers' striker had already been booked for a late foul on Granville when
he brought down Butterfield on the edge of the penalty area.
Referee Tony Bates produced the red card but Connolly refused to go, and the
official was quickly surrounded by furious West Ham players protesting that
Butterfield had made the most of the incident.
The confrontation provoked unrest among the away fans nearby, and an object
was thrown on to the pitch before police and stewards took control.
Two minutes later, Connolly finally departed and West Ham could have taken a
shock lead when, first, Christian Dailly and then Marlon Harewood found
themselves clean through only to shoot wide.
But the one-man advantage told for Palace in the 66th minute when substitute
Shaun Derry's corner was flicked on by Johnson to Freedman, who struck his 11th
league goal from close range.
Hammers' goalkeeper Pavel Srnicek twice foiled Johnson with his legs before
West Ham substitute Chris Cohen was booked for hacking down Julian Gray as
tempers flared again.
The Eagles had the ball in the net from the corner when Srnicek parried Wayne
Routledge's shot to Freedman, whose chip found Gray, but the linesman ruled the
goal offside.
A melee then erupted when Hammers' substitute Bobby Zamora clashed with Mark
Hudson to earn himself a booking, and players from both sides had to be
separated by Bates, who handed out seven yellow cards in all.
Teams
Crystal Palace Vaesen, Granville, Popovic, Hudson,
Butterfield, Gray, Hughes, Riihilahti (Derry 63), Routledge,
Johnson (Soares 90), Freedman (Leigertwood 83).
Subs Not Used: Black, Berthelin.
Booked: Popovic.
Goals: Freedman 66.
West Ham Srnicek, Ferdinand, Repka, Dailly, Harley (Cohen 72),
McAnuff (Zamora 67), Reo-Coker (Deane 78), Mullins, Horlock,
Harewood, Connolly.
Subs Not Used: Melville, Forde.
Sent Off: Connolly (36).
Booked: Repka, Connolly, Mullins, Cohen, Zamora.
Att: 23,977
Ref: A Bates (Staffordshire).
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