MICHAEL Duff’s controversial red card was the key moment as Burnley moved to the brink of relegation - setting a new club record for minutes without a top flight goal.

Duff was dismissed in the 23rd minute by referee Jonathan Moss for what was deemed to be a professional foul when he tripped West Ham United midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate inside the box, despite the presence of Jason Shackell and Scott Arfield covering.

Mark Noble scored from the penalty spot and the Clarets were unable to summon up an equaliser with 10 men as they failed to find the net for a sixth successive game.

Their goal drought now stretches to 569 minutes, surpassing the previous top flight club record of 565 set earlier this season.

It leaves the Clarets eight points adrift of safety with only three games left to play.

Rivals Leicester City, Sunderland and Aston Villa all secured wins, and Burnley will be relegated next Saturday if they fail to win at Hull City.

Burnley started in encouraging fashion at Upton Park, with Danny Ings having two early chances to put them ahead.

First he fired just wide of the far post from a tight angle after receiving a pass from Kieran Trippier, before he possibly should have found the net as he headed over from Matt Taylor’s left-wing cross.

The Clarets were pushing forward well at that point but the game changed when West Ham midfielder Kouyate surged into the Burnley box and was tripped by Duff.

It looked a definite penalty but there was shock among the Burnley players as Duff was dismissed for a professional foul, even though it looked like Shackell and Arfield were covering.

To make matters worse, Noble put West Ham in front as he sent Tom Heaton the wrong way from the penalty spot.

Heaton quickly had to make a superb save to tip over Enner Valencia’s close range effort as the Clarets looked set to make it 2-0 from a Stewart Downing centre.

The keeper had to save again from Morgan Amalfitano, although Burnley did have a chance to equalise before half time as Adrian had to save with his legs after Ashley Barnes headed Trippier’s corner towards goal.

Ben Mee filled in at centre back with Taylor at left back until half time, when Sean Dyche brought on Michael Keane as a third centre half.

George Boyd was substituted, with Trippier and Taylor playing as wing backs after the interval.

Kevin Nolan flicked an effort just wide of the near post for the hosts early in the second half, but Ings had a chance for the Clarets as he outpaced his marker in the right hand channel but then fired into the side netting.

The game was becoming end to end with Amalfitano curling wide for West Ham before Adrian had to make a fine save to deny Taylor as he looked to find the far corner on the turn for the Clarets.

Nolan then directed a shot straight at Heaton when he should have made it 2-0, before Downing was booked for diving as he went down under Mee’s challenge inside the box.

The West Ham wide man was furious at being denied a penalty, but replays showed that no contact had been made.

Hammers substitute Carlton Cole headed over from a Downing cross and Shackell headed off the line from Kouyate late on, as the home side claimed victory with Burnley unable to end their goal drought.

Burnley: Tom Heaton; Kieran Trippier, Michael Duff, Jason Shackell, Ben Mee; George Boyd (Michael Keane 46), Scott Arfield, David Jones, Matt Taylor (Ross Wallace 81); Ashley Barnes (Marvin Sordell 79), Danny Ings. Subs not used: Matt Gilks, Steven Reid, Michael Kightly, Lukas Jutkiewicz.

West Ham: Adrian; Carl Jenkinson, James Collins, Reece Burke, Aaron Cresswell; Mark Noble, Cheikhou Kouyate; Stewart Downing, Kevin Nolan (Nene 79), Morgan Amalfitano; Enner Valencia (Carlton Cole 82). Subs not used: Jussi Jaaskelainen, Joey O’Brien, Reece Oxford, Alex Song, Matt Jarvis.

Referee: Jonathan Moss.

Attendance: 34,946.