BOWEN DOWN TO THE WIRE!

Hammers can't see off bogey side after Rutter's late show

- BY ANDY SIMS

JARROD BOWEN netted an incredible goal to take him to the brink of a Premier League landmark - but it wasn't enough to end the Hammers' Brighton jinx.

In a reverse of their comeback at Manchester United on Thursday when West Ham scored a late equaliser - Brighton gave them a taste of their own medicine with a last-gasp Georginio Rutter strike.

It would have been a rare victory for West Ham at their bogey side after skipper Bowen broke the deadlock 17 minutes from time with what was essentially a tackle.

He slid the ball away from Seagulls defender Ferdi Kadioglu, guiding it across goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen and into the net all in one motion.

It was an unlikely strike which so nearly secured an unlikely win - it would have been only West Ham's second over Brighton in 17 meetings in the Premier League.

Bowen now has been directly involved in 99 goals for West Ham in the Premier League - 60 goals and 39 assists.