Palace's players bowed as one to their jubilant supporters at the end as disgruntled Hammers were left wondering where they go from here.
Mile Jedinak’s penalty on the hour made it an unprecedented five wins on the trot for Tony Pulis’s Palace — a feat Manchester United cannot claim to have achieved this season — and freed Palace of relegation worries.
In contrast this season does not appear to be heading towards a happy ending for West Ham manager Sam Allardyce, who saw Martin Atkinson hand Palace the penalty but turn down a number of home appeals in a third successive defeat.
Andy Carroll was barged over by Jedinak and Danny Gabbidon then felled Carlton Cole, but there was nothing doing for either. Sandwiched between those incidents, Palace’s Cameron Jerome slalomed clumsily into the home box, Pablo Armero stuck out a leg and the striker went down theatrically but Atkinson had no doubt about the offence.
VIDEO Scroll down to watch post-match reactions from Tony Pulis and Sam Allardyce
Turning point: Crystal Palace midfielder Mile Jedinak scores a second half penalty to seal victory for his team
Unstoppable: Jedinak's spot-kick shoots past West Ham goalkeeper Adrian and into the top corner
Guilty: West Ham defender Pablo Armero (left) protests his innocence after bringing down Cameron Jerome (right) for a penalty
Team spirit: Palace players celebrate after Jedinak's successful penalty
Pure joy: Palace players celebrate in front of their vocal travelling support as West Ham's Mohamed Diame and Matt Jarvis trudge back
On the march: Palace players celebrate their fifth consecutive Premier League win in front of the away end at Upton Park
Match facts
West Ham (4-2-3-1): Adrian 6; McCartney 5.5, Reid 6, Tomkins 6, Armero 5.5; Diame 7, Noble 6.5; Jarvis 6 (C. Cole 65 - 6), Nolan 6 (Nocerino 80), Downing 6.5 (J. Cole 78); Carroll 6.5
Subs not used: Jaaskelainen, Taylor, O'Brien, Johnson
Booked: McCartney
Crystal Palace (4-1-4-1): Speroni 7; Mariappa 7, Dann 7, Delaney 6.5, Ward 5.5; Jedinak 7.5; Puncheon 6.5 (Gabbidon 87), Dikgacoi 7, Ledley 6, Bolasie 8 (Parr 90); Jerome 6 (Murray 83)
Subs not used: Hennessey, Parr, Guedioura, Ince, Gayle.
Booked: Murray
Referee: Martin Atkinson (West Yorkshire)
*Match ratings by Jack Gaughan at Upton Park
Jedinak’s arrowed penalty into the top right-hand corner past Adrian was one of the few bits of quality all day.
‘Perhaps
the referee failed us with the Carroll foul. We’ve now paid a heavy
price,’ said Allardyce, before adding: ‘The penalty was a silly one to
give away.
'Having lost the last two home games by three penalties is a bit difficult to take. Our finishing was pretty miserable.’
Palace, on the other hand, keep rolling on after the impressive midweek win away at Everton and Pulis was beaming when he said: ‘We’ve played some really good football.
‘Today we could’ve scored three or four goals. We’ve got great pace on the break. The two wingers were outstanding.’
Indeed, he went on to suggest that one of them ought to make England’s World Cup squad, clearly referring to Jason Puncheon.
Scott Dann and Kagisho Dikgacoi had earlier went agonisingly close for the visitors, who kept it tight in a bid to heighten anguish in the stands.
Matt Jarvis was hauled off for Cole 20 minutes from time as West Ham put two up front but Allardyce’s move was greeted with chants of ‘You don’t know what you’re doing’.
Battle: Palace's Yannick Bolasie (left) and West Ham's George McCartney (right) tussle for the ball
Safe hands: Palace goalkeeper Julian Speroni rises highest to claim the ball under pressure from Andy Carroll
Under pressure: Cameron Jerome (left) chases down West Ham defender Winston Reid (right)
Making a point: Palace manager Tony Pulis shouts instructions to his side during the first half
Flexible: Palace defender Adrian Mariappa (right) stretches out a leg to keep the ball away from Carlton Cole
It’s difficult to see how this will end well for Allardyce in the long run with the wave of negativity towards his style growing ever stronger.
Yet despite that, West Ham might have nicked a goal through Carroll.
He missed three good opportunities, and while the second produced a stunning save from Julian Speroni, he scuffed the best chance wide just after the break and only became more frustrated and desperate. The same appears to go for West Ham’s season.
No way past: Speroni palms a long-range shot from Hammers midfielder Mohamed Diame over his bar
Heads up: England hopeful Carroll climbs above Palace midfielder Kagisho Dikgacoi (left) to win a header
Going down: Bolasie (left) hits the turf after a challenge from West Ham full-back Pablo Armero (centre)
Wing wizards: West Ham's Stewart Downing (left) and Palace's Jason Puncheon challenge for the ball out wide
Acrobatic: Palace keeper Speroni launches himself into the air to make a vital save at Upton Park
Frustrated figure: West Ham boss Sam Allardyce shouts instructions to his players at Upton Park
Too strong: Carroll powers a header towards goal after getting above Palace defender Damien Delaney
Respect: Everyone inside Upton Park stands for a minute's applause in remembrance of former West Ham player Dylan Tombides, who passed away earlier this week
Never forgotten: An image of Dylan Tombides, who died after a three-year battle with cancer, is displayed on a big screen
On the run: Jerome (right) tries to sprint away from Reid (left) during a finely balanced opening period
Dejected: Carroll takes a breather on the grass after missing an opportunity to find the back of the net
TRIBUTE TO DYLAN
West Ham held a moving tribute to 20-year-old Dylan Tombides, who tragically lost his battle with testicular cancer on Friday. The club will retire the No 38 in his memory, while during a minute’s applause his father Jim and brother Taylor carried his shirt to the centre spot. That was followed up by a spontaneous minute’s applause as the clock ticked beyond the 38th minute - remembrance the travelling Crystal Palace contingent also participated. in
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