Emmanuel Omoyimni rescued a vital point for West Ham with his first ever goals for the club in a six-goal thriller at Selhurst Park. The Hammers' European hopes appeared to be in tatters just two minutes from time after goals from Marcus Bent, Simon Rodger and Attilio Lombardo. But Omoyimni, on as a second half substitute, produced two clinical pieces of finishing to salvage a game that West Ham should have won. Harry Redknapp's side can still qualify for a UEFA Cup place, but they now need a win over Leicester in the last game of the season and rely on results going their way. The Hammers took the lead after four minutes thanks to Sasa Curcic's own goal, but failed to take several other chances and were pegged back by Marcus Bent's lob just before half-time. Rodger and Lombardo put Palace 3-1 ahead before Omoyimni's deadly double stopped Palace claiming only their second home League win of the season. After four minutes Berkovic and Lampard sliced the home defence wide open with a neat 1-2 and as Lampard raced through on goal Curcic made a last-ditch sliding challenge only to see his touch take the ball past his own goalkeeper and into the empty net. Neil Shipperley went close with a clever header from Dean Gordon's cross before Bent struck against the run of play to score his fourth goal in five games. There appeared little danger when he picked up Lombardo's ball 25 yards out after 43 minutes, but he advanced five yards before spotting Lama off his line. The French keeper back-pedaled quickly and got his right hand to the ball, but could not prevent it crossing the line. The momentum appeared to have swung to Palace and they caught West Ham cold just two minutes after the interval. Curcic's corner - the home side's first of the game - was only partially cleared and fell to Simon Rodger on the edge of the area, who hit a first-time left foot volley through a crowded area past Lama. Lombardo raced on to Gordon's through ball and although his control took him wide he slid a left foot shot past Lama to make it 3-1 after 63 minutes. But West Ham clearly knew the importance of the game and reduced the deficit just four minutes later. Sinclair was going nowhere, despite some neat tricks on the edge of the area but as the defence stood off he fed substitute Emmanuel Omoyimni who slotted his first goal for the club into the far corner. There still looked more goals in the game, Lampard's drive thumped the cross bar, Lama did well to hold Lombardo's stinging shot and Unsworth blocked Bent goal-bound effort. West Ham in fact had the ball in the net, but Berkovic's header was ruled out for offside before finding a priceless equaliser. Lomas pulled the ball back from the byline and Omoyimni had time to gather himself before finding the far corner again past Miller.

PALACE TAKEOVER SAVED AS NOADES BAILS OUT GOLDBERG   MARK GOLDBERG'S Crystal Palace take-over will be finalised in trhe next 48 hours (thank God) but only after a £7 million loan from the man selling him the club, Ron Noades. Banks arranging the deal insisted that the millionaire property developer had to own the freeholds on Selhurst Park and the club's new training facility before they would allow his £24m buyout and despite criticising him in print only last week, Noades agreed to lend him the money to buy them. Financiers wanted the freeholds as extra security on the loan Goldberg has taken out to become chairman of the club he has supported his teenage days. Now he is expected to complete deal later this week and unveil Terry Venables - as 365 told you two months ago - as Palace's new manager after the relegated club's final match of the season, at home to Sheffield Wednesday on Sunday.

top