Championship wrap: West Ham, Brighton earn late draws

West Ham United missed a chance to go top in the Championship when they were held 1-1 at home to Watford on Wednesday, as Cardiff also drew.

Sam Allardyce’s West Ham can consider themselves fortunate not to have lost the match after trailing going into the final moments at Upton Park.

Visitors Watford led from the 67th minute thanks to a goal from Sean Murray, who fired home a low 20-yard strike.

West Ham pressed for an equaliser and passed up several chances, with Julien Faubert shooting over and Kevin Nolan firing wide.

Substitute Ricardo Vaz Te then had a header pushed wide by Watford goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak.

From the resulting corner, Portuguese forward Vaz Te poked the ball home at the back post to salvage a point for West Ham.

The draw leaves Allardyce’s side second on the table, one point behind Southampton and with a game in hand over the league leaders.

Elsewhere, Cardiff ended a run of two defeats in succession, but saw their playoff hopes take another blow when they could only draw 2-2 away to Brighton.

Malky Mackay’s visitors led through Joe Mason’s goal on 57 minutes at the Amex Stadium, with Ashley Barnes levelling for Brighton in the 71st minute.

Peter Whittingham restored Cardiff’s lead three minutes later, and they looked on course to record all three points, before Sam Vokes struck to equalise for the hosts with two minutes remaining.

The draw means Cardiff have managed just one win from their last seven matches in the Championship and are now down to eighth spot, one point outside the playoff berths.

Brighton are one point and one place better off in seventh, outside the playoffs on goal difference only.