Fortune was hiding once again for the Hammers today as they were subjected to a one-nil defeat at home to Watford and were left with a mountain to climb in their bid to avoid relegation.
After 12 minutes, Watford were awarded their first penalty of the season when Anton Ferdinand was judged to have pulled striker Darius Henderson back in the box.
Robert Green dived to his right but Henderson booted the ball past him and into the bottom corner to claim his first goal of the season.
Calum Davenport almost headed the Hammers back into it minutes later but his effort, from Matty Etherington's corner, flew wide of the post. The ball bounced to Yossi Benayoun on the edge of the box but Gavin Mahon cleared.
Nigel Quashie fired in effort after employing some neat footwork to make space just outside the area but it travelled wide of the target as the Hammers worked hard to find an equaliser.
Moments later Davenport threaded a pass through to Nigel Reo-Coker but the captain's tantalising ball was just too long for Bobby Zamora, who hit it high and wide.
Lucas Neill's Watford hoodoo continued as he was take off injured for the second time in as many weeks against the Hornets, damaging his knee after just half-an-hour on the pitch. Jonathan Spector came off the bench to replace the luckless Australia international.
The Hammers continued to surge forwards and Zamora fired in a left-foot volley from the edge of the box but it didn't trouble Watford keeper Ben Foster.
Zamora's next effort certainly did threaten Foster after the keeper dropped the ball in the box as he prepared to take a goal-kick. Zamora then tried to round Foster but the referee blew for a foul.
There followed a nervy spell for the Hammers' defence as Quashie was dispossessed following a corner earned by Benayoun's testing header at Foster's goal. The Hornets broke quickly but the ball was eventually cleared by Ferdinand.
Benayoun carved out another excellent opportunity moments later as he made space in the box and passed to Marlon Harewood, but the striker had his back to goal and was unable to lay the ball back to Quashie.
The Israel international then saw an excellent chance saved by Foster as he let fly with a blistering shot.
Malky Mackay almost doubled the visitors' lead on the stroke of half-time with a free header at the far post from Jordan Stewart's corner.
The second-half began with Carlos Tevez on for Zamora and he was instantly involved in the action. Quashie played the ball through to him and he in turn played in Etherington who was felled on the edge of the box by Mahon. Tevez took the free-kick but it flew just wide of the mark.
Tevez then carved out another great opportunity as he latched onto Harewood's header but his shot was cleared agonisingly off the line by Mackay.
The Hammers were awarded their first penalty of the season with just over half-an-hour left on the clock as Mahon brought Reo-Coker down in the box. Despite being the last defender, Mahon escaped without a caution and Harewood missed the target from the penalty spot.
Spector received a booking for a late challenge on Steve Kabba and Benayoun was booked for an altercation with Watford forward Johan Cavalli as he trudged laboriously off the field to be substituted.
Quashie was quicker to leave the field as Alan Curbishley brought Luis Boa Morte on to replace him with ten minutes left on the clock.
But, despite pressing the Watford defence for the remainder of the match, the Hammers were unable to come back into the game and score an equaliser.