Burnley moved a step closer to being relegated from the Premier League with a 1-0 defeat against West Ham United this afternoon.
The Clarets were reduced to 10 men and left facing a penalty midway through the first half when Michael Duff brought down Cheikhou Kouyate inside the box.
Mark Noble further punished them by scoring from the resulting spot kick to give the Hammers the lead.
Enner Valencia and Carlton Cole missed further chances to score a second for West Ham, but they still ended a four-game winless run.
Here, Sports Mole takes a closer look at the events that unfolded at Upton Park.
Match Statistics:
WEST HAM:
Shots 29
On Target 7
Possession 60%
Corners 13
Fouls 11
BURNLEY:
Shots 8
On Target 2
Possession 40%
Corners 3
Fouls 7
Was the result fair?
There can be no denying that West Ham deserved to pick up the three points this afternoon, although the result hinged on a controversial red card for Duff in the first half. The defender did trip Kouyate inside the box and a penalty was the right call, but his sending off was extremely harsh, given that there seemed to be defenders covering. It allowed the Hammers to take control and they had plenty of chances to score further goals, but a resolute defensive display from the visitors kept the score down.
West Ham's performance
The Hammers did not get off to the best start and the atmosphere was rather subdued at Upton Park. There was a real lack of confidence and their poor recent form seemed to be hampering the players. Once they took the lead, they tried to stamp home their advantage and make the game safe, but they were unable to really punish their opponents. The three points are all that will have mattered to Sam Allardyce after his team failed to win throughout the whole of April.
Burnley's performance
Burnley will feel aggrieved at how things went for them today, in such a vital match. They created some of the best opportunities of the game in the early stages, but, once Duff was sent off, it was a different story. They were forced to defend deep for long periods and could only rarely threaten on the counter-attack. Despite putting in a display full of effort and courage, they are now eight points away from safety and will be relegated if they fail to beat Hull City next weekend.
Sports Mole's man of the match
Jason Shackell: Despite ending up on the losing side, the Burnley captain was an inspiration to those around him and was a rock at the heart of the defence. He made a number of vital blocks and was strong in the air throughout the 90 minutes.
Biggest gaffe
Duff must take the blame for giving away the penalty for a trip on Kouyate inside the box, although his dismissal was incredibly harsh. The West Ham attack also get a mention for only scoring one of their 29 shots on goal.
Referee's performance
It was not the best showing from Jonathan Moss, who gave West Ham a controversial penalty. He had adjudged Duff to be the last man, but there were defenders covering inside the box. He also handed out a couple of soft bookings and he is sure to come in for some heavy criticism.
What next?
West Ham: The Hammers return to action next weekend with a trip to FA Cup finalists Aston Villa.
Burnley: The Clarets are also playing away from home next weekend, when they will take on Hull at the KC Stadium.
Alex Meyers
