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Watford heap more misery on Hammers

West Ham started the day with unwelcome news off the pitch and they finished it by crashing out of the Carling Cup as Hayden Mullins' own goal handed a 1-0 victory to Watford.

The third-round tie was seen as the perfect way for the Hammers to forget about the ruling in the Carlos Tevez affair, which could cost them £30million by Sheffield United's estimation.

However, Adrian Boothroyd's side belied their place in the bottom half of the Coca-Cola Championship. The winner was bizarre but they are used to that at Vicarage Road after Reading's phantom strike at the weekend.