The Premier League's relegation battle just got a whole lot tighter, and for West Ham, the woodwork has become their worst enemy. In a match that defied the scoreline, the Hammers struck the goal frame four times—a joint league-high this season—as they fell 3-0 to a clinical Brentford side at the Gtech Community Stadium.

On paper, it looks like a routine win for the Bees, who are chasing European football under Keith Andrews. But the reality is far more dramatic. West Ham's Valentin Castellanos hit a post on either side of a first-half own goal from Konstantinos Mavropanos. Then, with the game already 3-0, Crysencio Summerville unleashed a thunderous drive that rattled the crossbar, and Tomas Soucek's follow-up effort grazed the outside of the post. The collective groan from the traveling fans was almost audible through the TV.

Captain Jarrod Bowen summed up the frustration: "We had chances, hit the post twice, hit the bar and post again. It's really disappointing. On another day we would have got the win. We've done a lot of good things."

The result keeps West Ham just two points above Tottenham, who have a game in hand and a far superior goal difference. Spurs now have a golden opportunity to leapfrog the Hammers with a win at Aston Villa on Sunday. Manager Nuno Espirito Santo remains defiant: "It's up to us how we will react from this situation. Let's stick together. We have three games to go. It will go down to the wire."

Meanwhile, in-form Nottingham Forest sit three points clear of West Ham, and Leeds United have pushed nine points ahead of Spurs after a win against Burnley. The picture is becoming clearer: a three-team scrap for survival is brewing, and every point—and every inch of the woodwork—could prove decisive.

For West Ham, the message is clear: it's time to turn those near-misses into match-winners, or risk watching the Premier League slip away. As they say in the dressing room, you can't dwell on this—but the next 90 minutes could define their season.