West Ham 1 : 0 Watford<\/h1>\n

This game will not be remembered for the football.<\/h2>\n

The news in January of the death of brave Isla Caton shook the West Ham family. The seven year old girl had been involved in a long battle against the rare child cancer neuroblastoma.<\/p>\n

Many had become emotionally involved in her five year struggle. Many had donated. The mood among the home fans was already subdued as they awaited several moments that would highlight her life.<\/p>\n

Her mother Nicola had made a video which was shown to the fans. It was in truth hard to watch this woman’s pain and uplifting to watch her courage.<\/p>\n

There were pre-game photo tributes and a minute’s applause before kick off. When the game reached the seventh minute, the home side placed a photo on the large screens and both sets of fans broke into a minute long applause.<\/p>\n

West Ham played the ball among their back four for the entire duration and to their credit, the Watford players made little attempt to dispossess or challenge them.<\/p>\n

One incident was sad and yet somehow uplifting. The other had ying and yang of a different sort.<\/p>\n

Earlier in the week, video had emerged of West Ham’s French defender Kurt Zouma kicking his cat. The internet outrage was instant and unanimous.<\/p>\n

The newspapers were sure that he would not be selected but to the surprise of those at London Stadium. he was in the starting line up. The incessant booing from the Watford fans seemed to get to him and indeed his colleagues.<\/p>\n

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Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n