Hand of Hernandez sparks Hammers revival

A CONTROVERSIAL Javier Hernandez goal sparked West Ham into a fightback which increased the relegation mountain facing Fulham.

Trailing to a third-minute Ryan Babel strike, the home side were toiling until the 29th minute when Hernandez turned the ball in with his hand.

Fulham goalkeeper Sergio Rico’s poor punch led to Angelo Ogbonna’s header finding the net via the hand of Hernandez, who was credited with his 50th Premier League goal.

Issa Diop scored in more conventional fashion to give the Hammers the lead five minutes before half-time.

The defender headed in from close range after getting on the end of Robert Snodgrass’ corner before Michail Antonio rounded off the 3-1 win in injury time.

Elsewhere, a superb hat-trick from Watford’s Spanish striker Gerard Deulofeu and two goals from Troy Deeney gave Watford a 5-1 victory to increase Cardiff’s relegation worries.

Deulofeu had not scored for eight matches but he netted before the break and then showed class and composure to strike twice in four minutes after the hour mark.

Deeney made it 4-0 – set up by Deulofeu – before Sol Bamba pulled a goal back from a corner.

But Deeney made the victory emphatic again with a fifth goal in stoppage time as Watford proved they might yet be good enough for Europpean football at the end of the season.