Highlights - Blackburn Rovers 2-1 West Ham United PL2

 

Blackburn Rovers 2-1 West Ham United PL2

FT: That's it at Blackburn Rovers and the hosts are 2-1 winners. Again, frustrating for the Hammers who on balance of play, deserved more than that. They dominated periods of the first half and fell behind for the second time to an unfortunate own goal. The play-off race is made trickier with tonight's result, but it can still be done. It's been a long day, and it will be a long journey home for Terry Westley's men. Onto the next one.

90: Late yellow card here for Vashon Neufville for a challenge on Blackburn's Thomson. We're into added time.

85: The Canadian comes on for Dan Kemp.

84: Good play from Pask as he surges forward and finds Knoyle, but the full-back runs it out for a goal kick. Meanwhile, Malyk Hamilton is readying himself for a debut U23 appearance.

81: The searching continues for West Ham's equaliser. A few long balls have gone array and frustration is starting to set in. Come on you Irons, a few more pushes!

76: Rankin-Costello off, Mols on for Blackburn and for the Hammers, Powell is replaced by Sam Ford.

74: Few slips creeping into this game now, as it's been raining for the entire match. Could there be a late mistake that proves costly for the hosts?

73: Good work from Nathan Holland to work the space for a shot, but it's high and wide...and not handsome.

72: Sub for Blackburn. Mansell off, Daniel Butterworth on.

70: More involvement for Neufville who skips past a few challenges but can't quite get his final pass right to find Kemp.

68: Chance to equalise! Knoyle puts in a cross from the right and it evades everyone, but Holland recovers the ball to tee up Neufville. The left-back has a rush of blood to the head though and smashes it well over.

64: The Hammers get away with one! Connor Thomson drives through with pace and smashes against the underside of the crossbar. It rebounds away. It's still 2-1.

58: Penalty?! Referee says no! Makasi plays a one-two to get inside the box and was surely tripped, but the ref disagrees. That's the sort of one you normally get at home. 

56: The Hammers have had the ball in Blackburn's half more in the last five minutes but so far are yet to get the ball into the box.

51: Blackburn are proving hard to deal with early in the second period. Goalscorer Stokes and Lewis Mansell up top are a handful.

49: Stylish defending from Neufville, there. The left-back slides to challenge and spins around to get the Hammers on the attack right away.

46: We're back underway in Blackburn. Come on you Irons!

HT: And there is the whistle. A frustrating half for West Ham; they had the better of the play and have sprayed the ball around well, but Blackburn have had two chances and lead. Work to do. They're more than capable.

45: The wind and rain is driving in at the Lancashire FA and we're a couple of minutes of stoppage time from the break.

40: West Ham will be gutted to concede after dominating since their equaliser. It came completely against the run of play.

34: Goal. Blackburn regain the lead. Josh Pask turns into his own net under pressure from a number of forwards. Someone would have tapped it home regardless. Unfortunate for the centre-back, and for West Ham who have been the better side.

31: Not so much in the way of chances since the equaliser. Moses Makasi did break forward and curl one just over. Other than that, there's been plenty of possession for West Ham but as yet, not the goal to get them in front.

27: Josh Pask finds himself 25 yards from goal and the ball sits up nicely for a volley. His dipping effort flies over though. Why not have a go!

26: It's an unfamiliar position for Joe Powell this evening, but he's leading the line very well. Making runs, holding the ball, causing trouble; you can't ask for too much more than that.

23: Powell swings in a nice free-kick from the left and the Hammers continue a bit of pressure for a minute or so after it's cleared. Nothing comes of the attack, but the visitors are keeping Blackburn on their toes here.

17: An excellent leveller. Wonderful build up play from a combination of players eventually sees the ball fall to Vashon Neufville on the left, and he crosses to Diangana who finishes expertly with a delicate sidefoot. The visitors are deservedly on level terms.

17: GOALLLLLLL!!!!! The Hammers are level! It's Grady Diangana!

13: Powell goes for, what we'll call, a Domingos Quina special; the 45-yard effort is well over, though!

11: More great attacking football. Diangana again is the danger and he slips in Holland, who beats the keeper to the ball and lays one off for Powell. The forward's attempt is charged down. What a start this has been in Lancashire!

9: What a save from Nathan Trott! He denies Stokes a second, flying to his right to reach it and tip it onto the post. That was better than Fisher's stop - wonderful stuff from the young keeper.

9: Another chance! Nathan Holland swings in a low delivery from the left and Joe Powell just gets his effort slightly wrong. It fell to him nicely, but great movement from the striker.

7: The resulting corner is headed over by Pask. Come on West Ham!

6: Chance and what a response that would have been! Grady Diangana cuts inside and lets fly from 20 yards but his goal bound effort is denied by keeper Andrew Fisher. Wonderful stop - that was heading for the top corner.

4: Goal for Blackburn. Anthony Stokes has chipped Trott from a tight angle on the right hand side. Brilliant, if intended. Early lead for the hosts.

3: The Hammers are looking to put Rovers under pressure early here and every time the hosts have the ball at the back, the front men are straight onto them. Positive!

1: The U23s are underway here at Blackburn! Come on you Irons!

6:45pm: So, with Toni Martinez at Oxford on loan and Marcus Browne at Wigan, Joe Powell will lead the line for Terry Westley's men tonight. It looks as if Grady Diangana is set to play in the No10 role behind the forward, but with three such versatile attacking midfielders, that could change throughout the evening.

6:30pm: It's a cold, wet and windy evening in Lancashire but the surface out there looks perfect for the Hammers' fast-paced style of play. The Hammers need four wins from their six league games remaining to guarantee themselves a play-off spot, so the hard work begins right here!

Blackburn Rovers: Fisher, Travis, Doyle, Tomlinson, Magloire, Platt, Thomson, Hardcastle, Stokes, Mansell (Butterworth 72), Rankin-Costello (Mols 76).

Subs not used: C. Doyle, Powell, Grayson.

Goals: Stokes 4, Pask (OG) 34

PL2: Trott, Knoyle, Rice, Pask, Neufville, Makasi, Sylvestre, Kemp, Diangana, Holland, Powell (Ford 76).

Subs not used: Forde, Hamilton.

Goals: Diangana 17

Bookings: Neufville 90

6pm: Good evening! It's Premier League 2 action tonight for the Hammers as they begin their quest to secure themselves a play-off place. Tonight they face Blackburn Rovers and we'll have team news for you shortly.