Jarrod Bowen saved West Ham from humiliation after they avoided a mammoth FA Cup upset at Kidderminster.
The forward struck with virtually the last kick of extra time as the Hammers, wretched for most of the game, sealed a barely deserved 2-1 win.
They needed Declan Rice’s injury-time leveller to force extra time just as it looked like National League North side Kidderminster would off an almighty fourth-round shock.
Alex Penny had given the heroic hosts a first-half lead after terrible Hammers defending.
Harriers, 113 places below the Premier League visitors, deserved so much more after nearly writing themselves into FA Cup folklore with one of its biggest upsets.
Kidderminster went toe-to-toe with the Hammers who narrowly avoided an embarrassing defeat and one of the worst in their history.
Directionless, passionless and aimless they had no hiding place until Rice and Bowen bailed them out.
Andriy Yarmolenko’s terrible dive in the area highlighted West Ham’s desperation but they were rescued in the first minute of injury time by Rice.
Pablo Fornals slipped the midfielder through and he cut across Preston before lashing into the roof of the net from six yards.
It sent the tie to extra time and, with penalties looming, Bowen shattered Kidderminster when he tapped in with seconds to go after Aaron Creswell sent the ball back across goal.
