The thriller continued, but unfortunately not in Palace’s favour. Callum Leacock fell back and inadvertently ricocheted the ball off substitute Dylan Monk and into the net; the young defender was unlucky not to keep it out.
West Ham almost made it three, had it not been for heroic defending from Whitworth and Somade, who combined to scramble the ball off the line.
With ten minutes remaining, Martin went to ground in the penalty area under pressure from the defender, but the referee waved away appeals for a spot-kick. As both sides probed for a decisive goal, it seemed the match might not end level.
Palace had enjoyed a prolonged spell in the Hammers’ final third, applying considerable pressure, but they could not fashion any meaningful chances. Entering five minutes of additional time, Alonso’s side were disciplined and compact, frustrating the hosts’ attempts to find a winner.
Frustratingly, after riding the pressure for most of the six minutes of added time, Andre Dike struck at the death. In the 95th minute, he battled through a sea of Palace bodies, slalomed through the defence, and although Somade seemed to scramble the ball clear, it found the back of the net, delivering the killer blow.
Despite the late disappointment, the young Eagles remain top of the table on 18 points, albeit by the narrowest of margins. Tottenham sit second on 17 points and Southampton third on 16, with Palace having played a game more than their nearest rivals. There is plenty to be encouraged by, and the performance showed the squad’s resilience and quality as they continue their push to remain at the summit.