For most of the game we gave a professional performance against West Ham United, but will be disappointed to have conceded three goals in the last quarter of the game. But in the end none of this matters, as Tottenham’s victory condemned the Hammers to relegation anyway.

This was the fixture that we had been looking at with some dread for most of the season, thinking that it could be a desperate occasion on the final day, with anxiety levels off the scale. And so it was when the game finally came around, but as it turned out, only for the home fans, while we could enjoy the spectacle of two London clubs scrapping to stay in the Premier League with our own future secure.

There were two changes from the starting line-up that faced Brighton, with the injury Stach suffered in that game forcing Farke to replace him with Nmecha, while Bogle was back in place of Bornauw. While the Hammers started with Taty as a reward for his sub appearance in their last game, from which he was about the only West Ham player to emerge with any credit.

There home fans started the game in good voice, but their enthusiasm soon faded as they watched a nervous and surprisingly tepid first half performance from their team, bearing in mind what was at stake. Although the sweltering temperature might have paid to any thoughts of them starting the game at a furious pace to put us under any pressure.

The heat forced a couple of breaks for drinks, which didn’t help the game to develop any sort of rhythm, and as the capacity home crowd started to wilt, we were able to make ourselves heard as we made fun of their predicament. “Stand up if you’re staying up” was one chant from our section, while another reminded them of several of the opponents they will be facing next season.

On the field we had the better of the first half, but without really coming close to scoring. From our first break we would have created a chance if Aaronson had ever learned how to pass, though we should have had a free kick when Souček clattered into the back of him. Not that we’d have made it count without Stach on the field.

Nmecha didn’t get his bearings right when a ball from Justin arrived at pace and sent it well wide, though he did a lot better with a run into the box to set up Calvert-Lewin. But Hermansen reacted well to the danger, and got himself into the right place to block the shot. It took the Hammers a while to get going, but they did create some chances of their own towards the end of the half.

Darlow created the first one for them with a poor kick out, but redeemed himself when the ball came to Fernandes, getting behind the Portuguese player’s fierce shot. Darlow and Bijol between them just managed to smother the danger from a Diouf cross, and just before the break Pablo shot into the side netting.

At half time I thought the game was in danger of becoming a big anti-climax, but West Ham stepped up the pressure after the break as they went for the win they so desperately needed. And it looked as though they were about to take the lead when Wilson put Taty through on goal, but the striker took a poor touch, to give Darlow the chance to recover and smother the danger.

The game was still very even up to the 67th minute, but that was all to change as Darlow came out for a corner but didn’t get anywhere near it, giving Taty the chance to head the home side in front. A drinks break soon followed, giving Farke the opportunity to refresh his line-up in search of the equaliser.

Clavert-Lewin hadn’t really got into the game, so he was replaced by James, with Gnonto also coming on for Bijol as we switched formation. The next pair of changes saw Tanaka and Bogle making way for Piroe and the lesser spotted Buonanotte. Which might have given us a bit more zip up front, but also left the defence a bit more exposed, as we found on 79 minutes.

Nmecha was disposed well into their half, but Fernandes was able to pick out Bowen with a superb through ball that Struijk wasn’t quite able to reach. Bowen had a look up but saw there were none of his team mates racing into the area for a cross. So he took responsibility himself, and demonstrated that he’s the one player on the West Ham side who you would back to drill the ball into the net from a narrow angle.

We made one more sub which didn’t really make sense, with Bornauw coming on for Aaronson despite the need to close a two goal deficit. Buonanotte made one promising run in the later stages, but I think it was him who played a terrible backpass down the left flank that went straight to Wilson.

Darlow got to Wilson’s cut back at the expense of a corner, and when that came out to Wilson outside the area, the veteran striker hit a superb fierce shot that curled away from Darlow to give him no chance. I wouldn’t have said that the final 3-0 scoreline was a fair reflection of the balance of play, but I would have hoped for a better performance if the game had been as crucial for us as it looked like being for much of the season.

Not that any of this mattered in the end, as all depended on events taking place elsewhere in London. And after a wait for confirmation, the Irons learned that there was to be no last day reprieve, as Spurs had also won and they had been relegated to the Championship.

A win would have taken us as high as 12th, but in the end we finished 14th, though a few months ago I would have been delighted to have that as the only thing to moan about on the final day. The Leeds contingent in the crowd thanked the team for their efforts, though of the players on the field at the end we might have been watching three of them in a Leeds shirt for the last time.

Almost certainly Buonanotte, probably Piroe, and maybe Gnonto. But life goes on, and we can reflect on a successful season and look forward to seeing most of the rest of them back at Elland Road in August.

Reuters