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By Charlie Stong at The London Stadium

Hammers win Moyes' final home game - and condemn Luton to near-certain relegation


West Ham United 3 (Ward-Prowse 54, Soucek 65, Earthy 76)

Luton Town 1 (Sambi Lokonga 6)


West Ham came from behind to win David Moyes' final home game as manager - condemning Luton to all but confirmed relegation in the process.


Second-half strikes from James Ward-Prowse, Tomas Soucek and a first West Ham goal for substitute George Earthy were the perfect response to Albert Sambi Lokonga's header which had the traveling Hatters dreaming.


In a match Luton had to win to have any chance of avoiding relegation straight back to the Championship, they took the lead after just six minutes.


Ross Barkley's ball from a central position found Elijah Adebayo on the left. His cross was blocked but fell into the path of Alfie Doughy, whose centre was powerfully headed home by Sambi Lokonga.


The Hammers responded - Jarrod Bowen volleying a cross against the outside of Thomas Kaminski's right-hand post, Michail Antonio was then inches away from getting to a low cross from the left and Mohammed Kudus struck a shot over the bar.


But as the half wore on the Hammers were mainly being restricted to efforts from outside the box. Soucek having one such effort which was comfortably held by Thomas Kaminski, while Antonio also fired well over.


Luton lost their main playmaker Barkley to injury shortly before half-time and it appeared to make a difference. 


The Hammers were getting more and more possession and equalised nine minutes into the second half. Kaminski stuck out a leg to kick away Jarrod Bowen's cross from the right, but the ball only went as far as Ward-Prowse, whose low shot from 15 yards out made it 1-1.


West Ham looked the more likely winners by this stage. Antonio had an opportunity to put them ahead shortly after but headed Soucek's cross straight at Kaminski.


Then Kaminski was called into action again, this time palming away another header from Antonio.


At the other end Fred Onyedinma fired over when under pressure from a defender, as Luton desperately looked for a second much-needed goal.


But as they pushed forward, so was created more space for the Hammers to get their own chances - Luton somehow scrambled away an effort from Emerson midway through the half, before Kurt Zouma's header from a corner was blocked.


But the goal wasn't long in coming. Soucek's volley was the goal of the afternoon, a beautiful strike from the very edge of the box which flew past Kaminski.


Kudus should have made the result safe a few minutes later but somehow managed to shoot wide when faced with only Kaminski from barely 10 yards out.


But Kudus made up for his error by creating the third. He twisted and turned not two but three defenders, before crossing for Earthy to poke the ball home just seconds after coming on.


The result means the Hammers still have a mathematical, yet not realistic, chance of European qualification, while the Hatters need not only to win their final game against Fulham, but also hope Nottingham Forest lose both their remaining games, with a 13-goal swing in the process. 


That's not going to happen, and Forest can put Luton out of their misery with a point against Chelsea later.


Teams:

West Ham: Areola, Zouma, Coufal,, Ward-Prowse, Antonio (Earthy 75), Paqueta (Ings 84), Kudus, Bowen, Ogbonna ( Casey 90+2), Soucek, Emerson (Cresswell 84).

Luton: Kaminski, Osho, Barkley (Clark 39), Morris, Adebayo, Chong, Mengi, Burke (Woodrow 87), Sambi Lokonga, Onyedinma (Ogbene 73), Doughty (Berry 87).

Referee: Michael Oliver


Picture: Charlie Stong


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