Marco Arnautovic's dramatic stoppage time equaliser denied West Ham all three points at home to Stoke City, meaning the two sides stay locked on the same amount of points in the Barclays Premier League with six games to play.

Aaron Cresswell's superb free kick put the home side ahead after just seven minutes, and was the highlight of the first half that saw just two shots on target from 17 efforts between the two teams. Stoke improved in the second half, and Arnautovic saw an effort ruled out for offside with just over 20 minutes left, before the same fate struck him in the third minute of stoppage time. Soon after, it was third time lucky as the Austrian drove into the area before cooly slotting past Adrian.

West Ham dominated the opening stages and found themselves ahead thanks to Cresswell's free kick very early on. Patient passing from the hosts payed off as Enner Valencia was tripped by Glen Whelan, allowing Cresswell to step up and bend the ball into the top right hand corner, easily beating 'keeper Asmir Begovic.

The Hammers continued to press and were easily the better side throghout most of the first half, as both Cheikhou Kouyate and Diafra Sakho missed opportunities to equalise, both dragging shots wide.

Stoke grew into the game as the half progressed, with Charlie Adam's ambitious free kick from 40 yards flying over, before Jonathan Walters hit a powerful shot into the side netting, leaving half the ground thinking that the ball had gone in. The visitors ended the half with a series of corners, and had reason to feel aggreived as referee Roger East blew the whistle for the interval as Stoke prepared to take their latest one.

The second half started at a slower pace than the first one had, however Stoke did have the ball in the net just past the hour mark. Arnautovic had sped behind the backline and slotted past Adrian, only for the flag to go up as he had gone a second too early.

West Ham reacted well to this apparent wake up call, as Kouyate burst beyond the Stoke defence to force Begovic into a smart save low down.

Minutes later, Stoke went even closer to equalising as substitute Mama Biram Diouf saw his powerful header richochet off the inside of the post and roll across the goal-line, only to somehow stay out.

Adrian's goal was leading a charmed life and it looked like he was about to get away with it, as Stoke had a second goal ruled out in stoppage time. Arnautovic again the goalscorer, he was offside as Steven Ireland played the ball across.

Arnautovic did finally get his goal, and Stoke's equaliser, with virtually the last kick of the game. Taking matters into his own hands, Arnautovic wonderfully drove into the West Ham penalty area before expertly slotting past Adrian, to cap a splendid invidiual goal.

The draw leaves each side stranded on 43 points, with West Ham above Stoke on just goal difference in ninth place. Swansea City are the next team ahead, four points ahead in eighth, and that's where Stoke visit on Matchday 36.

West Ham (1) Stoke City (1)
Adrian 7 Begovic 8
Jenkinson 6 Cameron 6
Collins 6 Shawcross 7
Reid 6 Wollscheid 6
Cresswell 8 Wilson (2) 6
Song (1) 6 Whelan (3) 5
Kouyate 7 N'Zonzi 6
Noble 7 Adam 6
Downing 6 Moses (1) 5
Sakho (2) 6 Arnautovic 8
Valencia (3) 7 Walters 6
Substitutions
Nolan (1) 6 Diouf (1) 7
Cole (2) 6 Pieters (2) 6
Amalfitano (3) 5 Ireland (3) 6
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