Premier League
Stoke City 2-1 West Ham United 

Sunday, 15th May 2016
by Staff Writer

West Ham United's thoroughly-encouraging season ended in disappointing fashion after Stoke came from behind to steal all three points at the Britannia Stadium this afternoon.

Slaven Bilic's side, who ended the campaign 7th in the table should have been out of sight by half time but poor finishing meant Michail Antonio's 13th goal of the season* was the difference at the interval.

That was always a dangerous situation with the hosts having nothing to play for - and it took Mark Hughes' side just ten minutes to level the scores after the restart, through Giannelli Imbula who beat stand-in 'keeper Darren Randolph with a precise effort.



The winning goal arrived with the Hammers desperately pushing forward in search of the goal that would have taken them back above Southampton, who thrashed Crystal Palace 4-1 in their final fixture.

A Stoke corner was nodded home by an unmarked Mame Biram Diouf to condemn West Ham to defeat - maintaining the club's unwelcome record of having lost every final match of the season since returning to the top flight four years ago.



West Ham were this close to taking an 80th minute lead through Cheik Kouyate's flick-on

* Includes the four goals Antonio scored for Nottingham Forest

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Player Ratings

Adrian San Miguel Del Castillo
Though his defenders didn?EUR(TM)t give him a prayer with either goal his kicking was a bit off today.


Carl Jenkinson
Do we have to have an MOTM this week? He was probably the least worse I suppose.


Aaron Cresswell
A bit off the pace all afternoon.


James Collins
When you have a lumbering ox of a centre forward to look after Ginge is your man. When you haven?EUR(TM)t, his lack of pace is a concern. The red card was at best clumsy and at worst nasty. Only he knows which.


James Tomkins
Seemed as if his mind was on other things for some reason. Cost us a goal as a result.


Cheikhou Kouyate
They stuck someone on him most of the time which curtailed those runs out of defence he usually does.


Mark Noble
Struggled to exert any influence on the midfield today.


Victor Moses
Poor ?EUR" if he?EUR(TM)d been taken off before the interval instead of during it nobody would have complained.


Manuel Lanzini
Made little contribution to proceedings before going off at half time.


Dimitri Payet
One or two decent balls but seemed to be suffering from the general malaise affecting the team this week.


Andy Carroll
Messed things up up front. Messed things up in defence. Lousy day all round really.



Substitutes

Mauro Zarate
(Replaced) Given how poor we were it was a bit of a thankless task trying to rescue things.


Enner Valencia
(Replaced) Unlucky to hit the post.


Nikica Jelavic
(Replaced) Came on and promptly disappeared.


Darren Randolph
Did not play.


James Collins
Did not play.


Michael Antonio
Did not play.


Nikica Jelavic
Did not play.



Match Facts

West Ham United: Adrian San Miguel Del Castillo, Carl Jenkinson, Aaron Cresswell, James Collins, James Tomkins, Cheikhou Kouyate, Mark Noble, Victor Moses, Manuel Lanzini, Dimitri Payet, Andy Carroll.

Goals: Diafra Sakho 33 Cheikhou Kouyate 90                .

Booked: None.

Sent off: None.

Stoke City: .

Subs not used: .

Goals: .

Booked: n/a.

Sent off: None.

Referee: Martin Atkinson.

Attendance: 0.

Man of the Match: Carl Jenkinson.