Final score - Blackpool 1-4 West Ham United
Well, that was some night and you'll be able to view exclusive highlights on West Ham TV soon, as well as reaction from all the big players on an amazing evening at Bloomfield Road. Don't forget, tickets are still available for Crystal Palace at home on Saturday, but they are sure to sell out quick after the Hammers went back to the top of the table. Thanks for joining us tonight!
97 mins - Reid wins another header and Cole volleys clear. Seconds later, the final whistle is blown and the away fans erupt with a cheer and a chorus of 'We are top of the league!'. What a result and what a performance - AGAIN - from the ten men!
96 mins - Nearly! Collison shoots and Gilks catches.
95 mins - Vaz Te is back on. Blackpool come again but Tomkins gets the tackle in before Collison does likewise and Cole breaks into the home half. It cannot be five, can it?!
94 mins - We're into the fourth minute of added time as Vaz Te gets some treatment for what looks like cramp. He has been superb tonight and deserved his goal. The new boys have certainly done their bit this evening.
93 mins - I have no idea how much added time is to be played - to be honest, I don't care! The home fans are making for the exits as the West Ham supporters sing their hearts out. The players have been outstanding, and so have the fans. Coming 250 miles on a Tuesday night is some dedication!
West Ham United lead 4-1 with no goalkeeper and only ten men!
90 mins - GOAL! VAZ TE! Amazing stuff. Vaz Te chases a pass down the left and beats the offside trap. He cuts inside one defender and shoots. The ball takes a slight deflection but it's enough to beat Gilks at the near post.
89 mins - Kevin Phillips shoots and this time Noble puts his body on the line with the block. The Tangerines attack again and win a corner. A load of heads go up at the near post and the ball loops out for a goal kick at the far post. The away fans respond with 'Are you Ludo in disguise?'.
88 mins - Fleck shoots and Tomkins flings himself in the way of the ball. West Ham break and Noble is caught offside. O'Neil is then booked for time-wasting.
88 mins - A diagonal cross is sent over and O'Brien appeals for offside against Matt Phillips. His prayers are answered as the flag goes up.
86 mins - Vaz Te does the hard bit right by making 50 yards down the left but he ignores the overlapping McCartney and then gives the ball away - cue an icy glare from the left-back!
84 mins - A long diagonal ball and Baptiste rises, but his header goes wide. The Development Squad have lost 3-2 at Bishop's Stortford as Cole wins a throw deep inside the Blackpool half.
83 mins - Cole is on for the tireless Maynard. The No8 gets a rousing reception and a chorus of 'One Nicky Maynard!' - not bad after your full debut!
82 mins - Wow! Kevin Phillips shoots from 25 yards and the ball curls past Lansbury and thuds against the inside of the post before coming out. Evatt goes after it, but he's offside. Mass relief to my right!
81 mins - That's a great chance for 4-1! O'Neil picks out Maynard's run perfectly and the No8 is in behind the back four. His second touch is a bit strong but he still gets there ahead of Gilks. He prods the ball over the goalkeeper but it goes wide of the near post.
80 mins - Lansbury involved again, making a catch high above his head from Vaz Te's wayward defensive header. Ironic cheers from the Hammers fans.
79 mins - Blackpool are back on the offensive against the ten men. This time, Fleck shoots from 25 yards, but it's too high and goes into the stand. Goal kick.
77 mins - Lansbury does well three times. First he catches a cross at his near post, then he lets a shot bounce wide for a goal kick. Finally, he is out to make an acrobatic catch on the edge of his box.
76 mins - The travelling Hammers are enjoying themselves to my right. A rousing rendition of 'Bubbles' caps the latest burst of noise!
74 mins - GOAL! O'NEIL! Noble crosses and Reid wins the header at the far post. It is blocked and the ball rolls out as far as the No32 on the edge of the box. His low shot evades everyone and nestles in the bottom left-hand corner.
74 mins - Vaz Te collects again and crosses. The ball goes behind off a defender for another corner. Noble will take...
73 mins - Vaz Te volleys down the line and Noble gets there before being clipped by Fleck. The Blackpool player is shown the yellow card.
72 mins - The cross comes in and Lansbury shouts loudly 'Keeper's' as he grabs the ball on the penalty spot. Good goalkeeping from the midfielder, if that makes sense!
70 mins - A yard away from being 3-1 as the ball drops invitingly for Vaz Te. He lashes the volley but it goes agonisingly wide of the far post with Gilks a spectator.
69 mins - Evatt has gone up front for Blackpool, but his header down is wayward and bounces behind for a goal kick. Lansbury is given a talking-to by the referee about time-wasting.
68 mins - Gilks' long clearance bounces through to Lansbury, who controls on his chest and wastes a few seconds. The away fans cheer and give Lansbury the 'England's No1' chant! At least they are still enjoying themselves!
67 mins - Faye is replaced by Gary O'Neil. Tomkins drops in at centre-back alongside Reid.
63 mins - The corner is headed high and back to Noble, who wins a throw. He then collects again but stumbles and loses the ball. Kevin Phillips gets in behind Faye, who looks to be struggling. O'Brien clears. A follow-up shot deflects wide off Reid. Faye then heads clear and Collison punts upfield.
62 mins - West Ham break as Maynard gets a toe to the ball on halfway. He does well to race down the inside-right channel and then crosses for Vaz Te, but Baptiste is there and just clears the crossbar with his clearance. Corner.
61 mins - Matt Phillips, who has been called-up by Scotland this week, shoots from 30 yards. The ball hits Bednar's heel and flies out for a goal kick.
60 mins - Blackpool are dominating, as you would expect. Bednar controls on his chest but Reid nips in before he can turn and shoot.
58 mins - Pavitt has put Stortford 3-2 up at Woodside Park. Back here, Faye could be in trouble for handling a through ball. Reid is booked. Crainey's free-kick hits the wall.
56 mins - Kevin Phillips curls the free-kick over the bar. Cheers from the away fans, but this is going to be a LONG 35 minutes.
55 mins - Lansbury has the gloves on and he replaces Faubert. West Ham are a man down for the third game in succession...
54 mins - The unthinkable has happened! Green comes out and challenges Bednar. He takes out the striker and is sent-off! West Ham are down to ten and they have no substitute goalkeeper on the bench...
53 mins - Great chance. Collison's diagonal ball is flicked on by Maynard to Vaz Te. He runs to the edge of the box and waits for the overlapping McCartney. The No3 crosses but a defender steps in to deny Maynard.
52 mins - Faye gets a talking to from the referee after bringing down Kevin Phillips on halfway. Reid heads the resulting set piece clear of the box.
50 mins - It's 2-2 at Stortford through Watson. Here, both sets of fans are rocking Bloomfield Road.
48 mins - This is like Premier League Blackpool from last season. Four men attacking and not a lot left at the back. Can West Ham hold firm and take advantage of the gaps left at the back by the Tangerines?
47 mins - Blackpool break down their left through Bednar. He cuts the ball back to Fleck, but his left-foot shot goes over the top. That was a difficult chance as the ball was slightly behind the No25.
46 mins - The hosts get the game restarted...
Two more changes from Blackpool. Sylvestre and LuaLua go off, with Dicko and Bednar on. Meanwhile, Piquonne has put the Development Squad 2-1 up at Bishop's Stortford.
Half-time score - Blackpool 1-2 West Ham United
47 mins - That's half-time, and what should have been a perfect half-time team talk from the manager is now going to be less so. Join us again in 15 minutes for the second half.
46 mins - GOAL! Out of nothing. The cross comes over from the right and Kevin Phillips does what he does best, stooping to head into the bottom right-hand corner. Green had no chance. He's had nothing to do, and now the No1 is picking the ball out of his net. Big Sam will NOT be happy.
46 mins - Into the one and only added minute and Blackpool finally mount an attack. Matt Phillips tries to play in Kevin, but McCartney is there.
44 mins - Nearly a third for the Hammers as Gilks races out to head a through ball straight to Collison, but the No10 shoots wide with a first-time effort. Difficult chance, but he could maybe have taken a touch.
42 mins - The rain is getting harder here. Faubert beats a man on halfway before bursting down the wing and sending in a brilliant ball. So brilliant that it beats both Gilks and Maynard and rolls out for a goal kick.
40 mins - Blackpool pass patiently but the Hammers are harrying them all over the pitch and the hosts cannot find a path through. Vaz Te steps in and West Ham break and Faubert wins a throw near the corner flag. Great work-rate from Big Sam's men.
38 mins - Oooh! Noble makes space again from a throw and swings over a delicious cross that eludes Gilks but is just in front of Faubert at the far post. Despite a dive, the Frenchman cannot reach it. Goal kick.
37 mins - Faye's pass is chested well into the path of Noble by Collison. Noble tries to pick out Vaz Te as the Portuguese points for a pass in behind Baptiste. The full-back just gets his head to it.
35 mins - Ian Holloway makes a substitution, bringing on Kevin Phillips for Chris Basham. Phillips has gone up front. It looks like LuaLua has dropped into an attacking midfield role. I presume that was a tactical change...
33 mins - Blackpool finally respond and it's Evatt who gets down the left and wins a corner. Tomkins heads the ball powerfully clear at the near post from Sylvestre's corner.
32 mins - GOAL! It might have been a tad fortunate, but it's still a well-created goal. Collison combines with Faubert and then feeds O'Brien. His cross hits a defender and spins back to Collison, whose low cross is converted by Maynard! First start, first goal for the new No8.
30 mins - The away fans are congratulating themselves on pre-empting the goal! Good work by the travelling hordes of Hammers, I say! West Ham are back on the offensive looking for a second goal.
28 mins - GOAL! It's been coming! The away fans sing 'We're gonna score in a minute' and they're right! Noble curls the ball over beautifully and Tomkins is unmarked and powers the header past Gilks from six yards.
26 mins - Another half-chance as McCartney crosses left-footed and the ball just eludes the jumping Faubert's head. West Ham then win three throws deep in Blackpool territory before Maynard draws the free-kick to the right of the home penalty area.
25 mins - Chance! McCartney collects from Noble on the left and makes room for the cross with a drop of the shoulder. Maynard heads it down but Faubert lashes his shot high over the bar into the stand.
24 mins - Nice interplay again from West Ham as Reid wins the ball and McCartney finds Noble. He has Faubert racing forward to his right, but the ball skims off his boot and through to Gilks. It's getting a bit slippery out there as Faubert goes to ground!
22 mins - It has started to rain here at Bloomfield Road. LuaLua tries to beat Faye, but he holds up the striker and Noble comes back to help out before Green clears again.
20 mins - If that had gone in, Green would not have been a happy bunny. A long ball forward is there for O'Brien, but he heads straight to LuaLua, whose overhead kick is powerful but flies wide of the left-hand post. Noble speaks to the Irishman and tells him to be more careful next time.
18 mins - The Development Squad have been pegged back to 1-1 at Bishop's Stortford. Back here, Faye goes on a slalom run past two defenders but cannot get to Maynard's return pass.
17 mins - West Ham's best build-up so far. McCartney, Noble, Vaz Te and Tomkins are all involved until the left-back is caught just offside. That's a shame, as the opening had been worked well with a series of one-twos.
16 mins - Another nervous moment for the home side as Baptiste's header bounces in the middle of the penalty area. Crainey heads back to Gilks under pressure from Faubert.
14 mins - Tomkins reacts quick in midfield and steals the ball off a toe before racing forward 20 yards. He looks up and shoots from 30, but it's a daisy-cutter and Gilks allows the ball to roll well wide of the left-hand post. Good positive play from the new defensive midfielder.
12 mins - Just when it looks as though Blackpool are settling into some decent possession, a loose pass holds up on the wind and falls to Collison, but his touch lets him down 30 yards from the home goal.
11 mins - O'Brien blocks off LuaLua. The initial free-kick is cleared to halfway, where Baptiste volleys forward and Green has to watch the dropping ball and catch inside his six-yard box.
10 mins - A loose pass from Cathcart and Faubert nearly pounces. Gilks is out of his box to clear into the stand.
9 mins - Really positive start from the Hammers, who could and perhaps should be in front. Faubert and Maynard have been lively. LuaLua tries to run Faye down the Blackpool left, but the centre-back simply out-muscles the forward and Green clears upfield.
7 mins - Maynard again! He controls Faubert's pass brilliantly and spins away from Cathcart. He is free inside the box but Gilks gets a touch and the ball rolls wide of the far post. Noble curls the corner over and Faye somehow clears the crossbar with his header from six yards.
6 mins - Maynard is involved again, holding up play with his back to goal before turning and sending Faubert through. His touch lets him down and Blackpool clear through Evatt.
4 mins - Maynard is barged over by Evatt in exactly the same position at the other end of the pitch. Vaz Te lines it up. He curls the shot over the wall and Gilks pats the ball down before safely collecting. Decent strike from the No12.
2 mins - Reid is penalised for blocking LuaLua 30 yards from goal in a central position. The ball is stopped and Phillips curls the shot over the wall but it's straight at Green, who collects.
47 seconds - For the second game in succession, Vaz Te has the first chance. Faubert's volleyed cross is deep and the winger cranes his neck and sends a header looping on to the roof of the net.
7.59pm - West Ham kick-off and a long ball forward is won by Maynard. He flicks on and the ball goes well wide.
7.58pm - West Ham are in all light blue tonight, while Blackpool are in tangerine shirts and socks and white shorts. Captains Mark Noble and Barry Ferguson come together for the coin toss. They'll be seeing plenty of each other over the next 90 minutes...
7.56pm - West Ham United's Development Squad are 1-0 up at Bishop's Stortford through Frederic Piquionne's eighth-minute goal. My thanks to fan Dave Clements for sending updates from Woodside Park this evening. Marek Stech, Guy Demel, Brian Montenegro and Frank Nouble are also starting for Ian Hendon's side. Back here in Blackpool, here come the two teams...
7.55pm - I can see the match officials and the two teams lining up in the tunnel opposite. It won't be long until they're out on the playing surface and we can get things underway.
7.53pm - The two teams have gone back to their dressing rooms ahead of kick-off. Thankfully, it's not too cold tonight here in Blackpool. The Hammers fans sat immediately to my right are making a right din. Bloomfield Road is not full, but there is a good atmosphere inside the stadium ahead of one of the home side's biggest games of the season.
7.45pm - West Ham, of course, will go back to the top of the tree if they win tonight. Three points will put them a point ahead of Southampton with a game in-hand. With Blackpool sitting fifth in the table, this is a hugely-important game for both sides.
7.35pm - Mark Noble will captain the Hammers tonight in the absence of suspended skipper Kevin Nolan. Yet again, Big Sam chooses to go without a substitute goalkeeper, with wannabe gloveman Henri Lansbury among the replacements.
7.30pm - West Ham United have not lost at Blackpool since 2 January 1971, when they were beaten 4-0 in the FA Cup third round. In the league, West Ham have not lost at Bloomfield Road since 19 March 1966, when the Tangerines ran out 2-1 Division One winners - that's nearly 46 years ago!
7.08pm - Two changes from the team that drew with Southampton a week ago tonight. The suspended Matt Taylor and Carlton Cole drop out of the starting XI, with George McCartney and full debutant Nicky Maynard coming in.
Blackpool: Gilks, Baptiste, Evatt, Cathcart, Crainey, Basham, Sylvestre, Ferguson, LuaLua, Fleck, M.Phillips
Subs: K.Phillips, Bednar, Dicko, Eardley, Wilson
6.50pm - Among the 1,500-plus Hammers here tonight is West Ham-born Tony Williams, who has travelled all the way from Melbourne in Australia. We caught up with Tony, along with friends Lee Price, Karen Randall and Richard Love on the train from Preston to Blackpool earlier this afternoon!
6.45pm - We are reliably informed that is has been like the 'first day of spring' in Blackpool today. Having been in town since about 4pm, I am not sure I completely agree! It's a bit chilly and there is a wind blowing in off the Irish Sea. Not a night for the faint-hearted...
6.35pm - The Hammers have arrived at Bloomfield Road and the players and coaching staff appear to be in high spirits. The squad travelled to the North West on Monday afternoon and held a light training session this morning. Among the squad are new signings George John and Ravel Morrison.
Good evening and welcome to Bloomfield Road for tonight's npower Championship fixture between Blackpool and West Ham United.
For the second game in succession, the Hammers face one of their promotion rivals. Sam Allardyce's side sit second in the table, two points behind Southampton with two games in-hand, while Blackpool are fifth, five points behind West Ham.
It is just over a year since West Ham travelled to the Fylde Coast, when Victor Obinna netted twice and Robbie Keane scored once in a 3-1 win for the visitors. That match was in the Premier League, and both sides have realistic hopes of returning to the top-flight after being relegated last season.
West Ham have gained more points on the road (27) than any other Championship club, while Blackpool are on a seven-match league unbeaten run and have not lost since going down 3-0 at Birmingham City on New Year's Eve. The reverse fixture at the Boleyn Ground on 15 October ended in a convincing 4-0 victory for West Ham, with John Carew, Sam Baldock (two) and Jack Collison on target.
For Big Sam, tonight's game represents a return to where it all began as a manager in 1994. The Hammers boss spent two years in charge at Bloomfield Road, leading the Tangerines to their highest league finish in 18 years in 1995/96.
Team news-wise, West Ham will be without the suspended Kevin Nolan and Matt Taylor and injured Papa Bouba Diop. George McCartney, Gary O'Neil, Nicky Maynard and Henri Lansbury are all hoping to return to the starting XI, while January signing Ravel Morrison will be eager to be involved in the first-team matchday squad for the first time.
For Blackpool, attacking midfielder Gary Taylor-Fletcher and full-back Alex Baptiste are injured, but npower Football League Young Player of the Month and recent Scotland call-up Matt Phillips is expected to be available.
The two teams will be confirmed at 7pm, with the news confirmed first on the club's official twitter feed.
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