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West Ham United narrowly avoided a major FA Cup upset on Saturday, requiring extra time to secure a 1-0 victory over third-tier Burton Albion.
In a match defined by frustration and a lack of clinical edge, Crysencio Summerville finally broke the deadlock five minutes into the extra period.
Summerville’s deflected strike from the edge of the area marked his sixth goal in seven games, proving once again to be the primary spark in an otherwise stagnant Hammers attack.
The victory, however, was marred by a lack of discipline and mounting tension off the pitch.
Shortly after the opening goal, West Ham substitute Freddie Potts was shown a straight red card for a reckless lunge, forcing the Premier League side to play out the final 19 minutes with only 10 men.
Despite being 47 places above Burton in the English football pyramid, Nuno Espirito Santo’s rotated squad struggled to assert dominance, failing to even touch the ball in the opposition’s penalty area for the first 20 minutes.
Beyond the action on the grass, the atmosphere was thick with hostility from the travelling supporters.
A plane carrying a banner calling for owners David Sullivan and Karen Brady to sell the club circled the Pirelli Stadium, while fans inside echoed the sentiment with chants of “sack the board.”
With the club currently sitting just three points above the Premier League relegation zone, the narrow escape against a League One underdog did little to soothe fears regarding their top-flight survival.
Burton Albion, who are currently fighting their own relegation battle in League One, will feel aggrieved after wasting several late chances to force a penalty shootout.
Efforts from Jack Armer and Kyran Lofthouse narrowly missed the target in the closing stages of extra time.
While West Ham successfully booked their place in the fifth round, the disjointed performance suggests that Nuno has significant work to do if he is to balance a cup run with a desperate fight for Premier League safety.
