VAR nicks it for Palace

The sad sight of the Boleyn Ground as flats

West Ham 1 Crystal Palace 2

It's off to the Newham Bookshop at lunchtime for an interview on the history of the shop for a local community project. It's certainly sad to see the old Boleyn Ground now blocks of grey Barratt homes. But Vivian and the Newham Bookshop are still thriving, so much so that all the copies of Goodbye To Boleyn have sold out. 

I'm able to reminisce with interviewers Tanya and Rosa about book signings at the shop, Danny Dyer, Gilda O'Neil, Cass Pennant, Clyde Best, Benjamin Zephaniah and much more.

Then it's back to Stratford and the Best Cafe for an early panini, where Matt, Michael and a tardy Nigel wonder if Spurs are too good to go down. Inside the London Stadium we find my daughter Lola recovering from a late night, the venerable Fraser, Scott and Molly, but no Alison, who is at home in middle-class Clacton studying the Benn Act.

The atmosphere is certainly better at a 5.30pm kick-off as most fans appear to have had a drink or two and after three years the London Stadium is starting to feel a bit more more like a home, even if the first half is poor. As with all Roy Hodgson sides, Palace are well-organised and difficult to break down, with Cahill outstanding at the back all game. 

HALLER OF FAME
The first real action comes after half an hour as Yarmolenko's low cross finds Haller who fires straight at Guaita. Anderson completely miscues an inviting volley, and then heads into the keeper's arms while Lanzini sends a shot wide. At the other end Zaha causes problems in the box, and Schlupp's effort is cleared off the line by Fredericks. Roberto also has to make a decent stop from a long range McArthur effort.

Haller scores for the Hammers

The Hammers step it up after the break. From a free kick Ogbonna scoops over following Haller's intelligent header across goal. The breakthrough comes with a lovely 13-pass move from West Ham. Rice, Noble and Anderson play some great one-twos, with Anderson adding a nutmeg, before the ball is patiently shifted across the pitch to find Fredericks on the right. 

Enter Mystic Matt with a cry of "Fredericks won't know what to do with it…" Ryan immediately plays in a fine low cross that Haller prods into the net. Sebastien runs to the corner as the London Stadium erupts and it appears to be game won with West Ham moving up to third.

THE HAND OF DEC
But the game is changed by a Palace penalty. Declan Rice jumps with his arm in the air and touches Kouyate's cross. Van Aanholt duly converts the penalty to send the Palace Ultras into delirium. We often forget that Declan is a young player, and he will learn from this mistake, not that he could have done much to get out of the way.

There are 27 minutes left and both sides threaten, with Zaha a constant menace on the break. Cresswell goes off with an injury, which is worrying, and the game looks to be heading towards a draw. But on 87 minutes Fredericks concedes a free-kick by fouling Zaha on the edge of the box. From the second phase Townsend crosses, Kelly heads down and the unmarked Ayew sweeps the ball into the net only for referee Michael Oliver to disallow it. But wait, there's a seemingly never-ending VAR review as the officials decide that Kelly and Ayew was played onside by Anderson's toe. 

AYEW SURE ABOUT THIS?
Diop heads over when well-placed in added time but Palace hold on for victory. West Ham surely deserved at least a point from this as Palace only really had one chance in the second half which they scored from, plus a penalty resulting from Rice's handball. It's the end of WHU's six-game unbeaten run, but we'll perform worse and get points. It's also been significant that Yarmolenko was subdued by a fine performance from Van Aanholt.

After the game we meet Lola's friend Michael and head to the Refreshment Rooms, which are closed just to sum up our day. So it's on to the Stratford Theatre Bar where Matt, Fraser and Michael have befriended a south London-based lone drinker and Matt is doing a Sober October which involves drinking red wine in the style of Malcolm Allison rather than his usual beer. Lola and pal Katie prepare for a fancy dress party of Essex folk in Stratford opting for a cutlass and eye patch costume, which is quite apt after Palace's piracy at the London Stadium. 

At least Roberto looked competent. So it's a two-week break and a chance to regroup. Perhaps the Champions League will have to wait...

PLAYER RATINGS: Roberto 6; Fredericks 6, Diop 6, Ogbonna 6, Cresswell 6 (Zabaleta 5); Anderson 7, Rice 5, Noble 6, Lanzini 5 (Fornals 5); Haller 6, Yarmolenko 5 (Wilshere 5).