Late Carroll strike hurts Stoke’s survival chances

Hart error almost gifts relegation-threatened visitors the points

Andy Carroll scored a 90th-minute equaliser for West Ham to draw with relegation-threatened Stoke 1-1 in the English Premier League and come to teammate Joe Hart’s rescue after the goalkeeper’s latest error on Monday.

Stoke were close to a huge win in their fight to avoid the drop when Carroll, who had been on the field as a substitute for just four minutes, met a cross with a crisp volley into the bottom corner.

That strike spared the blushes of Hart, whose fumble allowed Peter Crouch — another second-half substitute — to put Stoke ahead in the 79th minute at the Olympic Stadium.

A victory for the visitors would have seen them move to within three points of safety and keep West Ham in real danger of going down. As it turned out, Stoke have five points to make up in their final four games if they are to preserve their top-flight status. “The goal was a kick in the teeth,” Crouch said.

Carroll last played for West Ham more than three months ago, with an ankle injury depriving the team of their target man up front. As usual, he caused havoc after coming on, and his goal is likely to prompt calls for his inclusion in England’s World Cup squad as a Plan B for coach Gareth Southgate, fitness permitting.

Whether Hart makes it to Russia is still open to debate.

The goalkeeper has only just got back in the West Ham team after losing his place to Adrian at the end of November. In his first game back, he made a mistake for a goal in a 3-0 loss at Burnley on March 10, and this one was almost an exact replica as he fumbled a shot in front of him by Xherdan Shaqiri. Crouch nipped in to score from close range.