**_[](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4gF6ggFI5OiUk5HWpjXp97VfcwF_wB9AX5XHkfQuO3s2-4hwDI68SL4w8g3k8N1TICoI_402qpL4wlqYwEO5UkzAIDGAs0R4gUXQlLCGDHUT2_hymzevMobdyZqNztUuvB0ZYQQ-ObN4f7pfdrzomH-9_wLhgeI2Q0RDC6-qbpqA7qe_PruU1kOlm0aQ/s640/IMG_1079.jpg)_**
**_West Ham 2 Wolves 1_**
Matt and Lisa are away watching tippy-tappy Basque football rather than El Sackico, so it's down to the diehards of Nigel and CQ, Michael the Whovian, The Gav and Big Sam, who has braved Welsh floods and hurricanes to be here.
The players warm up in Antonio tops which is a nice touch and in the ninth minute there's a minute's applause for the injured striker. Early on Gomes pokes wide from a dangerous cross from Doherty, while Bowen and Soler strike the legs of Sa with good chances.
Michael, fresh from impersonating Dave the Barman from the Winchester Club, spends much of the first half in existential despair at the quality of play, while CQ hands round the sweets. Due to the cold and possible indifference to Lopetegui's fate the crowd seems strangely sedate.
At half-time desperate measures are required and both Nigel and CQ eat lucky bananas. It works as Soucek finally breaks the deadlock with a looping header from a corner. Strangely Wolves don't have anyone on the post. Tomas runs to the camera and shouts a gruff tribute to Micky.
A neat move sees Bowen cross for Kudus to net, but Mo has moved beyond his defender a fraction too soon and is ruled offside. Then Wolves have a great shout for a penalty denied by VAR as Emerson pushes Gomes in the back. We were lucky to get away with that one. But it is 1-1 when Ait-Nouri crosses for Doherty to strike home a fine first-time finish.
Three minutes later though Jarrod saves WHU. After a free kick is cleared he's found by Kudus, he cuts inside one man and fires a typical left foot shot into the corner. He celebrates by picking up an Antonio shirt. Wolves claim that the Greek Bloke fouled in the build-up though it looks more like as simple collision.
There's still time for another Kudus effort to be correctly disallowed and another VAR penalty appeal for Wolves to be turned down. Bowen makes a great run down the right only to pull his cross back behind Ings. We survive eight minutes of added time to buy Loppy more time in charge. Lemina has a go at Bowen after the final whistle and there's a bit of a melee.
A great win for Antonio, who has spoken to the squad via video before the match. While you've got to feel a bit sorry for Gary O'Neil who is a decent manager working with limited resources.
Michael has to dance in the streets of Stratford alone, as Big Sam has to pick up his motor in Didcot, Nigel and CQ have an 8am gym appointment and I'm preparing for a wedding anniversary mini-break. Matt and Lisa would be dancing in the streets of Bilbao if it wasn't so cold. Loppy now has to try to win the hearts of the West Ham fans and build on this, though Bournemouth away is another tough fixture. Still, at least we won, 22 more points and we're safe. Irons!
**PLAYER RATINGS: Fabianski 6; Wan-Bissaka 7, Kilman 7, Mavropanos 6, Emerson 6 (Cresswell n/a); Soler 6 (Paqueta 5), Alvarez 6 (Todibo n/a), Soucek 7; Summerville 6** **(Ings 6), Kudus 6 (Rodriguez n/a), Bowen 8.**