While the lingering feeling will be one of frustration for the West Ham United supporters, or fury in the case of Nuno Espirito Santo, that 1-1 draw at Brighton at least saw one worrying hoodoo come to an end.
No, this was not to be only a second Premier League victory over their ‘bogey team’.
Brighton and Hove Albion had lost only once against West Ham United in 16 top-flight meetings. That tally now extends to 17 after Georginio Rutter incensed Nuno Espirito Santo with a contentious stoppage-time equaliser at the Amex.
West Ham could have drawn level with Leeds and Nuno’s former employers, Nottingham Forest, with a win. Instead, they remain in the relegation zone, two points adrift of safety.
But at least Nuno has his captain firing again. Jarrod Bowen’s laser-guided precision finish in the 73rd minute, to quote former stalwart Danny Gabbidon, was nothing short of ‘unbelievable’ in its creation and its execution.
Danny Gabbidon hails Jarrod Bowen’s finish in Brighton 1-1 West Ham United
Jan Paul van Hecke made a mess of a backpass, setting Callum Wilson away mere moments after West Ham’s number nine had replaced Crysencio Summerville.
The 33-year-old used every inch of his vast experience as he held up Van Hecke and Lewis Dunk, pleading with Bowen to make a darting run in behind. The recently goal-shy West Ham talisman was only too happy to oblige.
Bowen had not scored in eight Premier League games. A superb first-time strike across Bart Verbruggen and into the far corner ensured that barren run would not extend into a ninth.
“It was poor from Brighton. Jarrod Bowen made the dart behind and slid in,” Gabbidon, the popular former centre-back who won the Hammer of the Year award in 2006, told BBC Sport.
“Somehow, he made contact with the ball. Unbelievable bit of play.”
Gabbidon disagrees with Nuno Espirito Santo about Georginio Rutter strike
As Nuno fumed about the awarding of Rutter’s 91st minute equaliser, though, Gabbidon argues that the Brighton forward rightly went unpunished for an accidental handball in the midst of a frantic penalty area.
“I think that is the correct decision,” the ex-Wales international says. “As the ball came in, Rutter was looking to control it, it pops up off his knee and onto his hands.
“You can understand why West Ham were looking for a handball but it didn’t directly lead to the goal.”
Bowen ‘gutted’ as West Ham drop two points at The Amex
Nuno gave a ‘special mention’ to Jarrod Bowen after Thursday’s 1-1 draw at Old Trafford, another scoreline decided by a late equaliser.
The skipper produced his liveliest performance in weeks away to Manchester United. This instinctive sliding finish three days later on the South Coast should therefore represent another step towards rediscovering his best form.
“I am gutted. It feels like loss,” Bowen said at full-time, his goal hardly lifting the mood. “We did so much to get into the lead.
“When you haven’t scored in a while the hardest ones are where they go in, that is always the way. I knew I had to slide and go in the far corner, it was almost like a slide tackle to finish. It was a relief to score.
We have to take the chances. The keeper made a double save today and you have to give credit to them as well. Every goal is vital. When you create these chances you grow in confidence.”
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