Stoke City 2 West Ham 1

But it was the Irons defensive frailties that ultimately let them down, with Juilen Faubert culpable in part for both Stoke's goals.

The Frenchman, unconvincingly converted into a right-back this season, chopped down former West Ham winger Matty Etherington in the box after Ricardo Fuller's clever back-heel wrong-footed the Hammers defence, giving referee Martin Atkinson no choice but to award a penalty.

James Beattie stepped up to slam the spot kick high into the roof of Rob Green's net.

West Ham's defensive woes seemed to have taken a turn for the worse when Upson had to leave the field after being caught in the eye by Ryan Shawcross's raised boot.

The England defender returned to the fray after treatment and made his presence felt when he powered home a header from a Mark Noble corner to put the visitors level on 34 minutes.

Gianfranco Zola's men looked in control after the break and although enjoying plenty of possession could not convert it into goals, a common failing this season.

They were made to pay when Beattie scored what proved to be the winner in the 69th minute.

Upson, ironically, dived into a challenge on Fuller near the halfway line but the Jamaican skipped away with the ball and powered towards the Irons box.

James Tomkins was covering but Fuller got a cross-shot in which Green, another struggling for form at the moment, parried the ball towards the onrushing Beattie.

Faubert should have had the danger covered but was caught napping as the big striker nipped in and bundled the ball home.

Carlton Cole was well-shackled all afternoon and his best chance came when he turned his marker on the edge of the box only for Shawcross to block his shot with a magnificent intervention.

The game's most controversial moment arrived when the Irons were pushing for a second equaliser.

As the players jostled in the Stoke box awaiting a West Ham free-kick Huth swung an arm at Upson, felling the big defender and reopening his eye wound.

None of the officials noticed the incident and the German defender went unpunished.

Huth looks likely to be disciplined after video footage revealed the incident, but that will be of little consolation to West Ham, who were denied the chance to have a go at a 10-man Stoke side.

Hammers fans must be wondering what might have been, especially when former defensive stalwart James Collins scored the winner for Aston Villa against Chelsea in a game across the midlands.

West Ham could have done with the Welshman's solid presence at the back because while they continue to leak goals, and fail to score enough at the other end, they face the very real danger of relegation.

Zola was disappointed with the defeat, and with Huth's attack on Upson.

He said: "I saw the incident. Matthew is OK now and he has had a few stitches. Looking at the incident after the match, he would have been sent off. I can only assume the referee didn't see it.

"It is down for the Premier League to decide. I had a look and in my honest opinion it was a sending off.

"I haven't spoken to the referee about it. I don't think I need to. I can only assume he didn't see it as it was quite clear it was a sending off."

Things won't get any easier for West Ham next weekend when they face free-scoring Arsenal at Upton Park on Sunday.

Stoke City: Sorensen, Huth, Shawcross, Collins, Faye, Diao (Whelan, 78), Whitehead, Delap (Lawrence, 68), Etherington, Beattie (Kitson, 83), Fuller. Unused subs: Simonsen, Higginbotham, Wilkinson, Sanli.

Booked: Shawcross, Diao, Whelan

Goals: Beattie 11 (pen), 69

West Ham: Green, Upson, Ilunga, Tomkins, Faubert, Noble, Kovac (Stanislas, 83), Behrami, Collison (Franco, 89), Cole, Diamanti (Hines, 78). Unused subs: Kurucz, Spector, Da Costa, Jiminez.

Booked: Faubert, Cole, Hines

Goal: Upson 34

Referee: Martin Atkinson

Attendance: 27,026