A Nigel Reo-Coker goal three minutes before half-time condemned Albion to defeat in their final home game of the season.
With relegation already confirmed the atmosphere was always going to be a strange one. The fans made their feelings known before the kick-off with a number of fans in the Birmingham Road end deciding not to applaud the players as they walked out, striker Nathan Ellington was even booed my his own fans when his name was read out.
It was going to be a strange night of football and Ellington was going to get a bit more stick later in the game.
Baggies boss Bryan Robson decided that now we were relegated it was time to play an attacking 4-4-2 formation with Ellington and Kanu up front. Ronnie Wallwork returned alongside Nigel Quashie in the centre of midfield, Steve Watson replaced the injured Neil Clement alongside Curtis Davies.
West Ham boss Alan Pardew made six changes to the side that lost to Liverpool but they lost Dean Ashton after 20-minutes with a hamstring injury. Even without the striker West Ham still looked dangerous but to be fair to Albion we had a couple of half-chances that should have been finished better than they were.
Kanu had time and space on the edge of the West Ham area but his shot was scooped high over the bar when he had all the time in the world to pick his spot. Ellington had another effort but again the finish was lacking as the striker dragged the ball wide.
Our finishing has been the story of our season, wasting glorius opportunities in front of goal has cost us.
The Hammers took the lead before half-time when Bobby Zamora broke clear of Watson and raced into the Baggies area before laying the ball off to Reo-Coker who side-footed the ball past Kuszczak to put them in front.
The second-half began with Ellington shooting straight at Shaka Hislop and then firing a blistering effort from 18-yards just over the bar, the fans finally getting into the game after a dull first-half.
Credit must go to the Albion fans who were unbelievable during the second period; it was just like old times, finally sound inside The Hawthorns.
Quashie was next to have a go but his shot was deflected away for a corner and then World Cup referee Graham Poll incensced the Baggies fans waving away two blatant penalty appeals, then again we never get those decisions.
Both Davies and Ellington had opportunities to find an equaliser but neither troubled Hislop. The latter bringing calls of ‘Earnie, Earnie, Earnie’ from a section of the Brummie Road when his simple looking header flew high and wide of the West Ham goal.
The game finished with boos from the Albion fans and small chants of Robson and Peace out, truth is neither is going anywhere and the building will now start for next season in the Championship.
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