West Ham Udt 0, Southampton 1: For 70 minutes, West Ham did not give the sort of performance that tends to get managers the sack, but last night's result has done Glenn Roeder no favours in his efforts to keep his job.
This defeat, thanks to a last-minute goal from James Beattie, kept West Ham bottom of the Premiership and without a home win all season.
Beattie swept in for his ninth goal in seven matches, converting a pinpoint cross by substitute Brett Ormerod, to reward Southampton for a good late fightback.
Even the notoriously patient West Ham board may decide it is time for a change.
West Ham dominated for the most part until an uncomfortable finish and had enough chances to have won, wasting three clear opportunities before the interval and two more after, with Jermain Defoe the worst culprit.
While Roeder cannot be blamed for such errors, the club's position is far below what a squad of their quality should be capable of.
With the next two games at Middlesbrough and Manchester United, there seems every chance West Ham will still be at the foot as Christmas approaches.
Roeder had called on his players to be "brave" and take the game to Southampton, and had made a brave move himself.
With Freddie Kanoute failing a fitness test on the groin problem which has sidelined him for more than two months, he asked Ian Pearce to play up front.
Pearce has been used all this season and for most of his career in defence, though he did feature earlier in his career in attack.
Deploying Pearce there was Roeder's attempt to give more height and physical presence to the attack and there was a high-risk feel to the manager's approach all-round.
With Paolo Di Canio often operating in close contact with the front two, West Ham were left with only a recognised three-man midfield.
That left the onus on them to control the game and they certainly played positively and at a high tempo for 35 minutes, after which Southampton worried a vulnerable defence with more regularity.
Three excellent chances were wasted by West Ham, one by Pearce when he provided a centre-back's finish, as Roeder's players looked to exploit Southampton's far from ideal preparation.
The visitors had arrived just over half an hour before kick-off having got stuck in traffic, apparently after a training session at Rod Stewart's house.
Southampton were late on to the pitch, for which they can expect to be fined, and were on the back foot for most of the match to a passionate West Ham.
However, invariably there was the feeling that the home side could concede at any moment - and, at the death, that judgment was proved to be correct.
Guardian Service
WEST HAM: James, Winterburn, Repka, Dailly, Pearce, Schemmel, Carrick, Sinclair, Cole, Di Canio (Moncur 77), Defoe. Subs Not Used: Van Der Gouw, Minto, Breen, Camara. Booked: Repka.
SOUTHAMPTON: Niemi, Dodd, Lundekvam, Bridge, Michael Svensson, Oakley (Ormerod 66), Marsden, Delap, Fernandes (Williams 90), Delgado (Anders Svensson 45), Beattie. Subs Not Used: Jones, Telfer. Booked: Beattie. Goals: Beattie 90.
Referee: M Riley (W Yorkshire).
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