Shaka Hislop dished out his Christmas presents a day late to gift Wimbledon a share of the points at Selhurst Park.

The Dons had taken the lead after 33 minutes of the London derby with Hermann Hreidarsson heading home Alan Kimble's cross for his first goal for the club.

But the visitors appeared to have got all three points in the bag with just five minutes to go thanks to a spirited fightback inspired by captain Paolo di Canio.

The Italian set up the equaliser deep into first half injury time, crossing for Trevor Sinclair to head past an unprotected Neil Sullivan.

And with just 10 minutes left the former Sheffield Wednesday striker set up Frank Lampard with another pinpoint cross to seemingly settle the match.

But with the Hammers fans still celebrating a vital victory, Hislop blotted his growing reputation as he inexplicably dropped a Kimble corner he looked to have safely gathered, Neal Ardley stabbing the ball home to secure a draw the home side deserved.

Hislop held his head in his hands as he lay in disbelief on the ground as Ardley put behind him the disappointment of being told he is surplus to Egil Olsen's requirements.

West Ham had stuck gamely to their footballing principles but a heavy, uneven pitch was never likely to make it easy for them, Lampard getting caught out by a wicked bounce in the area and miscueing his clearance badly with Hislop needed to be quickly off his line as Leaburn closed in.

The home side were enjoying the better of the possession and what passed for chances in the early stages, Jason Euell executing a beautiful turn before his attempted shot turned out to be more dangerous as a cross, Ardley failing to connect in the area.

Ardley, in for the injured Andy Roberts, was proving to be an unlikely source of goalscoring chances, breaking out of defence dangerously on 13 minutes.

His lay-off to Leaburn on the right edge of the area came straight back but was fractionally behind the midfielder and he could only get the faintest of contacts and the ball rolled harmlessly to Hislop.

Lampard was then rightly booked for a reckless challenge from behind on Kimble after 24 minutes before the Dons broke the deadlock just after the half hour.

Unsurprisingly the aerial route was the key to unlocking the Hammers' defence, Kimble's right side corner headed firmly home by Hreidarsson against a static Hammers' defence.

Wimbledon's hard-won advantage was almost squandered in comical fashion five minutes before the interval as a blunder from goalkeeper Sullivan should have proved costly.

The Scottish international miskicked his attempted clearance from a free-kick towards the left hand touchline straight to di Canio but with the keeper stranded and the goal at his mercy di Canio curled his shot well wide.

Di Canio had been made captain in the absence of the suspended Steve Lomas while Wimbledon were without the injured strike duo of John Hartson, against his former club, and England Under-21 international Carl Cort.

The home side almost doubled their advantage seconds before half-time but Hislop parried away Ardley's close range header from another Kimble cross.

And within seconds West Ham were level, Sinclair escaping his marker at the far post to head past Sullivan from close range.

The second half thankfully started much brighter than the first and West Ham almost rubbed salt in Wimbledon's wounds within a minute of the restart.

Sullivan came for but completely missed Scott Minto's high cross to the far post but Wanchope failed to find the target with his header from just six yards out.

Euell then became the second player to find his way into referee Steve Dunn's notebook for a foul on Joe Cole before almost redeeming himself moments later with a powerful drive over the bar.

Euell and Wanchope both then went close twice at either end before a dramatic final 10 minutes to warm the hands of the 20,000 Boxing Day crowd.

Foe earned the third yellow card of the game for a foul on Leaburn on 69 minutes and that proved to be the Dons' striker's last contribution, Michael Hughes replacing him two minutes later.

West Ham then snatched the lead 10 minutes from time with the livewire di Canio again the provider, this time Lampard left unmarked in the box to head home from 10 yards from the Italian's cross.

That looked to be that but the indomitable Wimbledon spirit shone through again, although it took a terrible error from Hislop to earn a point.

Hislop appeared to have comfortably claimed Kimble's right wing corner but inexplicably dropped it as he came to ground and Ardley was left to poke it into the empty net from five yards to give the scoreline a much fairer look.

Teams:

Wimbledon: Sullivan, Cunningham, Kimble, Earle, Euell, Gayle, Ardley, Leaburn (Hughes 72), Badir, Andersen, Hreidarsson.

Subs Not Used: Davis, Francis, Waehler, Gray.

Booked: Euell.

Goals: Hreidarsson 33, Ardley 85.

West Ham: Hislop, Ruddock, Sinclair, Di Canio, Wanchope, Foe, Ferdinand, Lampard, Minto, Cole, Margas.

Subs Not Used: Potts, Stimac, Keller, Carrick, Forrest.

Booked: Lampard, Foe, Wanchope.

Goals: Sinclair 45, Lampard 81.

Att: 21,180

Ref: S Dunn (Bristol).