West Ham vs Hull match report: Mark Noble penalty completes vital week for Hammers and leave Tigers in peril
West Ham 1 Hull 0: Noble's penalty after Michail Antonio was controversially fouled by Tom Huddlestone ensured Slaven Bilic's side have taken seven points from three matches
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Your support makes all the difference.An encouraging week turned into a superb one for West Ham.
But how they rode their luck here to collect their seventh point out of nine thanks to Mark Noble's penalty. Hull hit the post on three occasions and dominated for large spells against a Hammers side who could barely muster two passes together all afternoon.
But, following the point at Anfield and the win over Burnley, three more precious points is all that will concern Slaven Bilic as West Ham moved into mid-table. Hull, in the meantime, drop to the bottom.
That was not deserved but after five games without a goal on the road they only have themselves and the woodwork to blame.
Hull's luck was out but it appeared they would need some fortune so stay in this game early on.
Goalkeeper David Marshall appeared to be struggling with a hip problem and soldiered on knowing he would be bombarded with high balls in Andy Carroll's direction.
In the meantime he would have Dmitri Payet to contend with. The Frenchman created the first opening in a drab start when he danced into the box before seeing his goalbound shot blocked by a posse of Hull defenders.
It was a tone for a Hull side prepared to get men behind the ball and look to catch the home side cold. That plan almost worked to perfection when Robert Snodgrass freed Dieumerci Mbokani, who was back from a three-game suspension, but the striker could only slide his shot wide in the 18th minute.
Two minutes later he should have opened his account after missing a golden chance. Aaron Cresswell's sloppy backpass was never going to reach Darren Randolph but the DR Congo frontman hit the inside of the post and West Ham scrambled the ball to safety.
It was a an opening Mike Phelan's side needed to take but it took a fine save from Randolph to deny them again in the 24th minute, Snodgrass' corner was met by the forehead of Harry Maguire but the defender was kept out by Randolph's strong right hand.
Hull were bossing proceedings as Mbokani rifled over while Maguire forced a smart save again from Randolph.
The home crowd were becoming increasingly frustrated with the home side, who had carved out very little to trouble Marshall.
The boos arrived before half-time as another swift break instigated by the excellent Snodgrass saw Pedro Obiang almost slide into his own net, under pressure from the marauding Maguire.
Bilic made a double half-time substitution in a bid to inject some life into his team. With the arrivals of club record signing Andre Ayew and Edimilson Fernandes, West Ham had ditched their 3-4-3 formation to move to a more orthodox 4-4-2. A change of not, West Ham needed to badly up the slow tempo which ended with them on the backfoot and pegged back for large stages. But one thing West Ham on their side was luck as Hull hit the post in the 57th minute. Andrew Robertson whipped in the cross and Mark Noble diverted the ball off the inside of his own post with Randolph beaten.
Hull would be wondering that they had to do to score as the post was struck for a third time a minute later via Robertson's 20-yard strike. No wonder Phelan's put his hands on his head on the touchline given it was over eight hours now and counting since they last scored away from home.
West Ham had created little but almost took the lead when Ayew met Payet's 65th minute corner but Robertson cleared. It was end to end as Maguire, from another Snodgrass set-piece, was denied by Fernandes.
Then the decisive moment arrived as Antonio was hauled down by Tom Huddlestone and Noble, who missed his spot-kick but converted the rebound in midweek, made no mistake this time by sending Marshall the wrong way. Payet's late free-kick was tipped over by Marshall but Hull had long known it would just not be their day as they slipped to a seventh successive away defeat.
Teams
West Ham (3-4-3): Randolph; Kouyate, Reid, Ogbonna; Antonio, Noble, Obiang (Fernandes 46), Cresswell; Payet (Nordtveit 90), Lanzini (Ayew 46), Carroll
Subs not used: Adrian, Feghouli, Fletcher, Quina
Hull: (3-5-2): Marshall; Davies, Dawson, Maguire; Elmohamady, Livermore (Henriksen 68), Huddlestone (Bowen 85), Clucas; Robertson; Snodgrass, Mbokani (Diomande 68)
Subs not used: Jakupovic, Meyler, Maloney, Weit
Referee: Lee Mason (Greater Manchester)
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