Ball boy is almost crushed by advertising board as Tomas Soucek & Jarrod Bowen hailed as heroes for rescuing youngster after West Ham fans fall onto pitch

In a tense moment at Selhurst Park, a young Crystal Palace ball boy narrowly avoided injury after an electronic advertising board nearly collapsed on him during West Ham’s 2-0 victory. The incident occurred during the celebrations following Bowen’s decisive goal, which sent the away fans into a frenzy.

West Ham midfielder Soucek was the first to notice the danger. Without hesitation, he abandoned his celebration to rush to the boy's aid. He quickly assessed the situation and, despite the weight of both the hoarding and the fans leaning on it, managed to lift the board off of the young boy. Bowen, who was nearby, also sprang into action. Together, the two players ensured the boy’s safety before checking on his well-being.

“I just managed to grab him out as quick as possible. It was just instinct to do it,” Bowen told the BBC. “And I've seen him after the game. He's got my top now and he's smiling. So he's all good, which is good to see.”

Following an opening-day defeat at Brentford, Palace had hoped to bounce back with a positive result at home, but their efforts went in vain. They will look to bounce back in the Carabao Cup against Norwich City on Tuesday, while West Ham will host Bournemouth a day later in the same competition.