West Ham United's battle against Premier League relegation took a frustrating turn as they hit the woodwork four times in a 3-0 defeat to Brentford, a result that could open the door for Tottenham to escape the drop zone.
Tomas Soucek's late effort that grazed the post was the final blow in a match where the Hammers were repeatedly denied by the frame of the goal. Despite the scoreline, West Ham created several clear chances, with Valentin Castellanos hitting a post twice, and Crysencio Summerville smashing a drive against the crossbar.
Captain Jarrod Bowen expressed the team's disappointment: "We had chances, hit the post twice, hit the bar and post again. It's really disappointing. On another day we would have got the win."
The defeat leaves West Ham two points above Tottenham, who have a game in hand and a much better goal difference. Spurs could leapfrog them with a win at Aston Villa on Sunday.
Manager Nuno Espirito Santo urged unity: "It's up to us how we will react from this situation. Let's stick together. We have three games to go. It will go down to the wire."
With Nottingham Forest and Leeds United also pulling clear, a three-team battle for survival is emerging. West Ham now face a crucial final stretch to secure their Premier League status.