Alan Awaits

Alan Pardew says he will accept whatever decision referee Scott Mathieson makes about Jermain Defoe's sending off after he reviews the Walsall video and sends his report to the F.A.

"Whatever his decision is I will go for it," he says.

"We just have to wait and see what the ref says; I have got to be honest, he is a top ref and I am not trying to influence anything by saying that, but he is.

"I just didn't think he was aiming a kick at any player's direction - it was just a kick in the air of frustration and that was it."

Thing of injustice that Jermain and his colleagues felt on Saturday was not only heightened by the belief that Jermain had just been fouled, but also that a late penalty appeal for handball was also turned down.

"Without a shadow of a doubt it was a definite penalty but that is just the way things are falling for us at the minute," insists Alan.

"The guy had his hand up and it hit him in the hand to stop Deano heading the ball; unfortunately for us the linesman was on the other side of the pitch and the referee was some distance away.

"We didn't get it and we were a bit unfortunate about that."

Alan feels that with 11 men on the field West Ham would have taken all three points at the Bescot stadium, and he adds:

"Even when Jermain was on the pitch we looked particularly sharp; we were right up for the game and it was a real blow to go to 10 men.

"Once we got the goal we stayed in that vein for long periods, it was only when we tired towards the end that they started to get on top.

"We had three or four great opportunities on the break before Hutch came on and we should have done better to seal the win - but unfortunately we didn't take them."

As for the Walsall goal, he adds:

"It was a lapse from us; we had just made a sub with Hutch and sometimes it takes a little time to adjust to your position but I didn't think it was him at fault, actually.

"But in organising ourselves we got caught, which was a shame, and Tomas said he slipped as the ball got headed across as well so it was a double blow for us.

"With all due respect they were a bit fortunate because I think the guy was heading for goal, actually, and it just went straight in the path of his other striker."

As regards personnel ahead of the two games in three days coming up, Alan says:

"We had no injuries from Saturday but we will have to wait and see on Christian Dailly; they tell me he feels a lot better."