Carlton Cole’s sumptuous finish at the end of a brilliant move, 11 minutes before half-time, should have been the main topic of this match, but instead the West Ham United forward’s dismissal less than three minutes later led to a debate about the referee. Wigan Athletic were also reduced to ten men, after the interval, with Stuart Attwell, not shy of controversy this season, awarding seven yellow cards as the battle for a European spot spilled over into acrimony and anger.

Gianfranco Zola, the West Ham manager, offered Attwell some sympathy, but Steve Bruce, the Wigan manager, was very critical of the referee, whom he said was too young to be in the top flight. Attwell, 36, attracted much criticism this season when he awarded Reading a phantom goal away to Watford and ruled out two goals for Derby County in stoppage time against Nottingham Forest.

Cole, booked for a tackle on Michael Brown, received his marching orders when he raised his right boot to bring down a long ball as Emmerson Boyce challenged. Attwell applied the letter of the law, even though there was no malice and it appeared that the Wigan defender was not touched.

In the ensuing mêlée, Scott Parker was fortunate not to receive a second yellow card and the West Ham midfield player was at the centre of controversy after the break when he was brought down by Lee Cattermole, who was dismissed, prompting another skirmish among the players.

Zola conceded that Cole’s dismissal injected malice into what began as an entertaining match. “A magnificent game became more spicy,” the Italian said. “The referee said he thought it was a reckless challenge. He was just trying to control the ball. The referee is a human being and can make mistakes and we are here to help.”

Cole said that the referee was “wrong” and Bruce also condemned the decision, adding that it was harder to play against ten men, and he attacked Attwell’s failure to dismiss Lucas Neill for a tough challenge on Cattermole after the break.

Moments later, the Wigan midfield player jumped into a disgraceful two-footed lunge on Parker and was sent off. “Cattermole was stupid and silly but he was incensed and should not have reacted,” Bruce said. “Neill’s was a horrific challenge, but Attwell had put himself under pressure and did not make the major decision when he needed to.

“It was a horror show. The game was ruined as a spectacle. Cole should not have been sent off — the referee needs to use common sense. I felt sorry for Attwell as he is not quite ready.”

The furore took away from a wonderful goal that strengthened West Ham’s challenge for Europe. The top clubs’ stranglehold on the domestic competitions means that seventh place could deliver a place in the Europa League, as the Uefa Cup will be known next season. Three West Ham players passed the ball through Wigan before it was swept first time into the corner of the net by Cole. Bruce generously called it the “goal of the season”.

“It was very impressive,” Zola said. “We are ambitious and do not want to vegetate and so Europe? Why not.”

Off the pitch, West Ham are on course to change ownership by the end of the season. The handful of potential buyers, some of whom have made an indicative offer for the club, are likely to be reduced in the coming weeks. The process could be derailed, however, by a creditor in Iceland who is owed around £4 million and is seeking to freeze some of the assets of Björgólfur Gudmundsson, the West Ham owner. He will ask a court in Reykjavik tomorrow to grant him breathing space until the summer to complete the sale of the assets.

Should the creditor win his argument, and Gudmundsson not be able to repay the money, the businessman could be awarded a share of some of the assets, which include West Ham.

Wigan Athletic (4-4-2): C Kirkland — M Melchiot, E Boyce, T Bramble (sub: B Watson, 78 min), M Figueroa — A Valencia, M Brown (sub: P Scharner, 64), L Cattermole, C N’Zogbia — A Zaki (sub: H Rodallega, 64), Mido. Substitutes not used: M Pollitt, E Edman, O Kapo, A Sibierski. Booked: Brown, Valencia. Sent off: Cattermole

West Ham United (4-4-2): R Green — L Neill, J Tomkins, M Upson, H Ilunga — J Collison (sub: J Spector, 78), M Noble, S Parker (W López, 88), R Kovac — D Di Michele (sub: Savio, 75), C Cole. Substitutes not used: J Lastuvka, J Payne, J Stanislas, F Sears. Booked: Noble, Cole, Parker, Neill. Sent off: Cole.

Referee: S Attwell