West Ham keeper wallops ball into team-mate’s face as drop kick goes badly wrong

West Ham defender Lucy Parker was left red-faced during their FA Women's Super League clash against Tottenham on Sunday evening after receiving a direct hit to the face from Anna Leat's drop-kick.

Parker, 23, came off the bench to replace Emma Snerle in the London derby after Rosella Ayane had given the hosts the lead from the spot early in the second-half.

Despite going down to 10 following a second yellow card for Hawa Cissoko just a minute after the goal, the Hammers kept on pushing for an equaliser at The Hive.

In doing so, Parker pushed out the box while New Zealand international Leat went to send the ball upfield to their colleagues – but that didn't go to plan.

The 20-year-old misjudged the kick down the centre of the park – hitting team-mate Parker directly in the face and almost bouncing over her head and off for a corner.

With Leat managing to get back and reclaim the ball before it rolled over the touchline, Parker was briefly sent down to her knees before getting up and on with the game.

The battling away side would end up claiming an unlikely late point thanks to a lifelong West Ham fan Kate Longhurst’s looping header, which meant the two sides remain seven points apart in the table.

Both teams, who were playing their first fixtures in over a month, are now unbeaten in WSL since November.

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Ashleigh Neville was named man of the match by Sue Smith on Sky Sports co-commentary, thanks to both attacking and defensive contribution.

Smith said: "There's been a few, but I have to go for Ashleigh Neville.

"She's been brilliant in terms defensively and going forward, she's shown real attacking promise, wanting to get into the box and make things happen."

Adding of the game in general: "Spurs had so many chances and entries into the final third and they’re probably thinking they’ve got themselves to blame and they have.

"You’ve got to take your chances and for so long, they’ve been good at keeping clean sheets.

"But this West Ham side was resilient and came back. One moment, one chance, Longhurst took it and they got themselves a point."

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