It's a dash from daughter Nell's MA graduation to this six-pointer, where in the cold night air we learn that Wilson isn't in the squad after reports he wants to leave and Taty makes his debut. Todibo and Paqueta return too. I'm joined by Nigel and CQ, Matt and Lisa, and Michael in his Darts red shirt (the band not Luke Littler).
There are big gaps of white seats after the Wolves debacle with many fans having given up. But without the tourists and fainthearts it's the noisiest atmosphere of the season. West Ham start with much more intensity than the pathetic display at Wolves. New signing Taty Castellanos is busy chasing everything up front, Soucek is adding some height to our tiny side, Summerville gets an early shot away and we're getting some tackles in.
Areola makes a fantastic save to tip over Nico Williams' drive early on. But it's the Hammers who make the early breakthrough. Summerville's inswinging corner is flicked on by Soucek and goes in off the head of Murillo. We're in the lead. What could possibly go wrong?
Forest are restricted to long-range efforts but are unlucky when Hudson-Odoi hits the bar with a great strike. But generally it's been a good half with the returning Todibo dominant, Fernandes busy in front of the back four and Paqueta knitting things together.
After the break Bowen makes a good burst through but can't keep his shot down. It looks like 2-0 when Walker-Peters' shot deflects off a defender into the path of Jimmy Summerville, who fires home a great strike. That will do his confidence good. But then VAR intervenes and ref Tony Harrington is sent to the screen. Of course he disallows it for a marginal offside against Castellanos. This was way back in the move before a cross and blocked shot and we think of Rutter's Brighton's goal that was allowed at the Amex despite a handball as it was judged to be a new phase of play.
That's the story of our season. Moments later Forest force a corner, Dominguez beats Castellanos to send a back header looping over Walker-Peters on the line and into the net. "If we don't win this we've gone," says a mournful Michael.
VAR TROUBLE
The referee earns chants of "You don't know what you're' doing!" after he waves play on as Summerville is blatantly fouled by Anderson on the edge of the Forest box. West Ham give it a go. Walker-Peters is played in by sub Pablo to send a low low drive at Sels, with Castellanos' follow-up also being saved. Scarles is starting to lunge-in at left back and Nuno replaces him with Mayers, while Paqueta goes off early due to his back injury.
Mayers plays a fine ball through to Bowen, who hesitates a fraction too long allowing Murillo to get in a block. Five minutes from the end Forest send in a free kick. Areola comes for the ball and misses, rushing into Todibo and Gibbs-White as Soucek heads it away. No-one appeals and the ref plays on, only for sodding VAR to intervene again. Areola's glove has touched Gibbs-White's face and the ref is sent to the monitor again to review and award a penalty. It's a contact game and it's hard to see how Areola could have slowed his momentum.
Areola then earns the ire of Matt by diving when he's often getting beaten by penalties straight down the middle. Sure enough Gibbs-White sends it straight down the middle to send the Forest fans into elation. It's worse when we've played well. Nothing has gone for WHU tonight and it's one point from four winnable games.
At least Ye Olde Black Bull is warm. "There won't be a book in this season," muses Nigel, before pondering the positives of hosting Lincoln and Stevenage, should they go up. At least he's got a heavy metal supergroup to look forward to seeing featuring members of the likes of Angelwitch. The Vicar's Son is staying positive too, as his mum doesn't take down the Christmas decorations until February 2, meaning we can't come down with them until then. Lisa says she quite fancies a mini-break in Bolton. And we'll get more games in the Championship. This is now in Great Escape territory and it doesn't feel like it will happen.
PLAYER RATINGS: Areola 6; Walker-Peters 7, Mavropanos 6, Todibo 7, Scarles 5 (Mayers 6); Soucek 7, Fernandes 7 (Potts n/a), Paqueta 6 (Pablo 6), Summerville 7, Bowen 6, Castellanos 6.
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