Point at Leeds stops the rot

Leeds United 2 West Ham United 2

It's a nerve-shredding evening listening to this on the radio and learning on WhatsApp that Michael is listening with Harry the possibly lucky cat and that Matt, Lisa and Nigel are discussing commemorative Iron Maiden stamps.

After a respectful tribute to David Gold the Hammers make a lively start but are again undone by a throw-in, as Summerville sets up Gnonto to score with a crisp finish. Kehrer is looking out of position at left-back (why not play Emerson there if Cresswell is dropped?) and we fear the worst. But the Hammers keep going and Coufal almost catches out Meslier with a long-distance lob.

With half-time approaching Scamacca feeds the ball inside and Bowen is brought down in the box. The ref plays a good advantage only for Fornals to shoot wide of an open goal. Luckily VAR intervenes and the penalty is given. Lucas Paqueta does a stop-start run-up and expertly puts it in the top corner with a classy penalty for his first West Ham goal.

A minute into the second half West Ham are ahead. Aaronson plays a loose ball to Scamacca, who fires home a great low strike from 25 yards out that goes in off the post. As Moyes says, Gianluca should be getting tap-ins too, but that strike is evidence that he can be a bit special.

It's a good chance to get three points but when Jack Harrison comes on Leeds put the Irons under heavy pressure. Rice is caught trying to mark two players and Rodrigo fires home another quality finish.

Fabianski has to tip over from Rodrigo and Antonio clears a header off the line. Sub Benrahma causes problems on the break and his cross is very nearly put into the net by fellow sub Antonio. It's left to Fabianski to gain a point with the last action of five added minutes as he claws away Rodrigo's header with a brilliant reaction save.

It's been a great game for the neutral and in the end we're grateful for a point that ends the run of five successive defeats — though it was also a missed opportunity. There is work to be done defensively and in midfield and WHU still need to grab a win from the Wolves or Everton matches. But defeat would have seen us slip into the bottom three, so an away point is still some kind of progress. Irons!