Middlesbrough's attempts to edge away from the relegation zone suffered a setback when a late Scott Parker striker allowed West Ham to claim their fifth away win over the season.

Defender David Wheater had given Boro the lead five minutes before the break but Dean Ashton quickly equalised for the Hammers and Parker grabbed all three points right at the death.

It was also a tough afternoon for Sunderland, who slipped back into the drop zone after Stephen Hunt's stoppage time goal gave Reading a 2-1 win at the Madejski Stadium, just as it seemed that Michael Chopra's 82nd-minute penalty would be enough to earn Roy Keane's side a point.

Reading had gone ahead through Icelandic defender Ivar Ingimarsson with just over 20 minutes left.

Managerless Fulham moved out of the bottom three, ahead of Sunderland on goal difference, after a 1-1 draw at home to second-from-bottom Wigan, who took the lead through Marcus Bent but were forced to settle for a point when American winger Clint Dempsey equalised.

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