West Ham stunned by referee's 'massive mistake' in QPR draw

West Ham United manager Nuno Espirito Santo was left feeling the pain of two penalties after his side missed the chance to go top of the Championship.

Queens Park Rangers goalkeeper Pierce Charles made a stunning double save from a Jarrod Bowen spot-kick in stoppage time to secure his side a 1-1 draw.

That came after West Ham were on the wrong end of a dreadful penalty decision in the first half, after Tomás Soucek was penalised for fouling Paul Smyth.

Replays showed the challenge was outside the area and that the Hammers midfielder got the ball.

A VAR would have surely overturned referee Ruebyn Ricardo's decision but with no technology in the Championship it stood, with Nicolas Madsen scoring from the spot.

"I think the images are clear," said Hammers boss Nuno. "I had a chance to see them. They speak for themselves, it's clear. It's a mistake that punishes us."

Soucek even revealed Ricardo told him afterwards that he had made a mistake.

"I was so happy I won the challenge and recovered the ball," Soucek told Sky Sports. "Straight away, I didn't know what the referee was doing and, from my perspective, it's a massive, massive mistake.

"We are just disappointed because, when I saw it inside, it looks even worse. I can't change it, but I cannot accept it.

"After the game, he told me he was wrong, but during the game, he just didn't want to speak with me any more."

Bowen equalised for West Ham in the 70th minute, and the hosts were gifted the chance for three points in stoppage time after Rangers sub Amadou Mbengue grabbed a handful of Pablo's shirt.

But Charles, who kept four clean sheets and saved a penalty for Northern Ireland over the international break, saved Bowen's spot-kick and somehow pushed the rebound from Arne Engels onto the crossbar.

Nuno, a goalkeeper in his playing days, added: "Amazing. Credit to him. Especially the second one. I don't know where he got that from.

"I always believe though, even when I was in goal, that the advantage is for the one that kicks the ball. So we're going to have to work and repeat and see if we improve.

"We've had three penalties and missed two. It's not a good average, is it?"

Rangers boss Julien Stephan admitted he had not seen many better double-saves.

"I don't know if I have ever seen a save like this," he said. "But if it's not the case, I can say now that I saw an unbelievable double save."

Charles, 21, is on loan at Rangers from Manchester City, and Stephan added: "I don't see a lot of limits to him in the future.

"I think he has a maturity for his age. He's very humble, a hard worker, a top, top, top personality, top mentality.

"He's a very modern goalkeeper. We are very lucky to have him with us this season."

PA contributed to this report