Jarrod Bowen was bitterly disappointed that his West Ham United team could not sign off for the season at London Stadium on a high against Nottingham Forest.
On a day when four of the Club’s UEFA Europa Conference League winning squad bade farewell to the Claret and Blue Army on home turf, the Hammers fell to a 2-1 defeat to Nuno Espírito Santo’s side, leaving themselves too much to do after Morgan Gibbs-White and Nikola Milenković struck either side of the break.
Bowen halved the deficit with four minutes to play, teeing himself up for a superb volleyed finish past Matz Sels, and although a frantic, fractious 16 minutes of added time was be played, an equaliser would not come.
The skipper felt a deep frustration that the team were unable to give a moment of cheer for the home crowd after a difficult season - and equally so that the four departing players could not celebrate their final match at London Stadium on a high note too.
“We lost the game and we wanted the win for the occasion, for Cressy, Vladi, Łukasz, Ingsy,” Bowen said.
“We wanted to end on a high. And, as a group, we wanted to end on a high for the fans that have stuck with us all season when it's been disappointing. So, we feel like we've let them down today by not winning the game.
“The two goals are avoidable on our behalf, which is the most frustrating thing, because I thought we started the game well.
“Tom (Souček) had a header that was saved. We had a couple of entries into their box and started really on the front foot. And then, a mistake happens. You know, I think everyone makes mistakes in football. It’s one of those things. ‘Phonse didn't let his head drop.
“And I think as a group, we didn't let our heads drop. We kept going, but then we conceded a soft set-piece and we didn’t defend it well enough.
“We got the goal, had some really good chances, but we just couldn't get the equaliser, so ultimately we're sat here losing the last home game of the season.”
Bowen was put through the wringer himself across the course of the afternoon, suffering a cut above his eye when colliding with the post in the opening period, then scoring his 12th goal of the campaign late on.
He said he suffered no lasting ill effects from his first half injury - just the disappointment of defeat.
He continued: “The goal was just one of those where the ball fell to me. And it was just a case of putting your foot through it, make sure you touch it right, hit it and hit it on target. I managed to do that.
“I was just trying to leave everything out there as well as I know that I can do - I might lose the ball here and there, I might dribble and run into a crowd or lose the ball, but, I think with me, it's always wanting to try and be the difference or create something for the team. I'll never try and hide away from that.
“[The injury was] just one of those things, blood, sweat and tears playing for this Club.
“So, yeah, I'll be fine. It probably looks worse than what it is.”
The No20 left the final word for Cresswell, Fabiański, Coufal and Ings, paying tribute to their fine service in Claret and Blue.
He added: “You become teammates, but you also become friends as well. And they've been embedded into this Club's history - Łukasz and Cress, longer than me.
“Vladi came at a similar time to me. Ingsy was here when we won the European trophy as well. So, all four were big key figures in the dressing room.
“You look at Cress and Vladi and they’ve played two games now since they've been told they're leaving the Club, and you wouldn't know that. It’s a credit to themselves. How they have come in shows what it takes to play for this Club, the privilege of playing in the Premier League.
“And I think they understand that. They haven't let anyone down in the time that they've been here. Same with Łukasz, same with Ingsy, every single day.
“Cressy got a brilliant reception today, Vladi the same, and they deserve it.”
