McClaren calls for technology after defeat

West Ham 2 Middlesbrough 1

Boro were trailing 1-0 to a fine strike from substitute Teddy Sheringham with 15 minutes left. Bone, on the far side, indicated Chris Riggott had deflected the ball over the line following a free-kick into the penalty area by Paul Konchesky - despite replays showing goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer had clearly kept it out.

The goal changed the course of the game, and potentially the outcome after substitute Franck Queudrue cut the deficit with a late header.

And McClaren bemoaned: “We are devastated by that decision. It is a big decision and a wrong decision. Ultimately it has cost us the game.

“I don’t know how he has given it, because from the angle I have seen, and the angle of Mark Schwarzer’s body from where the linesman was positioned, it is an impossibility to make that kind of decision straight away in a matter of seconds.

“You could see by the reaction of all the players - they knew it was not a goal, yet somehow the only man in the stadium on the field who could give that decision gave it.”

West Ham boss Alan Pardew admitted his side had been fortunate.

“I have seen it and have to be honest - it was not a goal, no way,” admitted Pardew.

“But you get breaks, and it was a fortunate break for us because it gave us a little bit of a cushion and with conceding near the end, it could have cost us the points.

“In some ways I felt we earned it, and sometimes in football when you don’t deserve a break, you get one.”

Pardew would also be in favour of using technology, if it did not “stop the flow of the game.”

He said: “If they could do it in an instant, then I would be happy with that.”

West Ham recorded a first victory in four attempts to climb back into the top 10 of the Barclays Premiership.

“I thought it was our best performance of the season,” the Hammers manager declared.

Opta Fact: Teddy Sheringham has scored Premiership goals against Middlesbrough with Tottenham (both spells), Manchester United, Portsmouth and now West Ham.

Opta Fact: Only West Ham, Chelsea and Arsenal have held a two-goal margin in three separate Premiership games this season.

WEST HAM: Hislop, Repka, Gabbidon, Ferdinand, Konchesky, Benayoun (Dailly 90), Mullins, Reo-Coker, Etherington (Newton 76), Zamora (Sheringham 65), Harewood.

MIDDLESBROUGH: Schwarzer, Bates, Riggott, Southgate (Queudrue 25), Pogatetz, Mendieta, Boateng, Doriva (Viduka 78), Rochemback, Yakubu, Maccarone (Hasselbaink 60).

Referee: S Bennett (Kent).