New Zealand defender Winston Reid bagged a controversial winner as 10-man West Ham extended their lead at the top of English football’s Championship with a 2-1 victory over local rivals Millwall on Saturday.
Reid scored only his second goal for the Hammers midway through the second half just minutes after Millwall midfielder Liam Trotter had cancelled out Carlton Cole’s opener.
There was a element of controversy about the winner as it appeared West Ham’s Julien Faubert had fouled Millwall goalkeeper David Forde before Reid’s strike.
Sam Allardyce’s side played with 10 men for 81 minutes after midfielder Kevin Nolan was sent off for a two-footed lunge on Jack Smith but it was the hosts who claimed the London derby bragging rights.
The Hammers are now four points clear of second-placed Southampton, who had a scoreless draw at Birmingham in the late kickoff.
There was no repeat of the crowd trouble which marred the last meeting between the old foes at Upton Park, in the league Cup in August 2009, and West Ham took the lead in stoppage time with former England striker Cole’s ninth goal of the season.
Mark Noble floated in a free-kick, Reid’s back-header looped high into the air and Cole rose above Darren Ward to nod past Forde.
Struggling Millwall equalised in the 65th minute when Abdoulaye Faye tried to let the ball roll out for a goal-kick and was robbed by Darius Henderson, who chipped it back for Trotter to lash home a fine volley from 15 yards.
But Millwall were level for just two minutes before Reid scored the winner.
Forde felt he was fouled by Faubert as he punched Joey O’Brien’s up and under but play continued and the defender blasted home from the edge of the area.
Third placed Cardiff wasted a chance to close the gap on Southampton, the League Cup finalists crashing to a 3-1 home defeat against Blackpool.
The Bluebirds, who face Liverpool at Wembley later this month, led through Joe Mason’s 59th minute goal.
But veteran striker Kevin Phillips equalised in the 79th minute before Matt Phillips scored twice in the last seven minutes to seal the win.
Middlesbrough lost ground in the automatic promotion race after a dour 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace at the Riverside Stadium.
Leeds are back in the play-off hunt thanks to a 3-0 win at nine-man Bristol City.
The managerless Yorkshire club, who sacked boss Simon Grayson earlier this week, scored through Robert Snodgrass, Ross McCormack and Luciano Becchio
City pair James Wilson and Yannick Bolasi were both sent off by referee James Linington.
Coventry remain bottom of the table after blowing a 2-1 lead in their 3-2 home defeat against Ipswich, while Watford won 2-1 against Barnsley and Brighton beat Leicester 1-0.