Southend United v West Ham United
Pre-season friendly
Roots Hall
Tuesday 3 August 2010
Kick-off: 7.45pm
Referee: Andy D'Urso
Final score - Southend United 1-1 West Ham United
Well, West Ham United's perfect pre-season run may have come to an end, but Avram Grant's side are still unbeaten this summer following a competitive draw at Southend United. The Blues played their part in a hard-fought game that will have thoroughly entertained a large crowd at Roots Hall. Manager Grant will have been pleased with the lively showing of winger Pablo Barrera on his full debut, while Alessandro Diamanti scored his first goal of the 2010/11 campaign. The Hammers return to action on Saturday when they host RC Deportivo La Coruna at the Boleyn Ground. Before then, log on to whufc.com tomorrow for exclusive reaction from tonight's game.
93 mins - The final whistle is blown and D'Urso brings an end to a very competitive 90 minutes at Roots Hall. A good workout for both teams.
91 mins - We're going to have at least two added minutes. Spence tries to pick out Nouble, but Morris is out smartly to claim ahead of the England U19 forward.
90 mins - The stadium falls silent as Stanislas starts his run up... He curls the ball over the wall and just wide of the left-hand post. I think the goalkeeper would have had it covered, in all honesty.
89 mins - Freddie does his bit by winning a free-kick 25 yards from goal following an industrial challenge from Prosser. That was tasty! Stanislas to take...
87 mins - Sears, fresh from four goals in a reserve-team win over Bishop's Stortford last Thursday, has a couple of minutes to nick a winner after replacing Diamanti. The goalscorer gets a boo from the home fans and a clap from the away supporters! Pantomime stuff! Grant is replaced by Graham Coughlan and the roles are reversed as the supporters welcome him to the touchline.
85 mins - Handbags! Diamanti and Grant clash off the ball. Diamanti nudges the midfielder, who responds by kicking his opponent. The referee spots it and the two players have a bit of an argument before he books both of them. In a 'proper' competitive match, I'd suggest they'd have both seen red instead of yellow there.
84 mins - Spence concedes a corner, but Prosser cannot get enough power on his header to divert it goalwards.
83 mins - Stanislas has a great chance to score a winner against the club where he spent three months on loan two seasons ago, but Morris is equal to his left-foot shot after the winger had taken advantage of a slip by Mohsni.
82 mins - Confusion reigns here because Grant is still on the pitch! Zaaboub replaced Corr. Ryan Hall is still on the bench.
78 mins - Southend make three more changes - Sturrock for Soares, Zaaboub for Grant and Ryan Hall for Corr - while West Ham bring in Jordan Spence for Spector. Seconds later, Stech belts a massive clearance upfield and Nouble challenges goalkeeper Morris. The No1 misses the ball completely and Mohsni has to be alert to prevent the Czech Republic U21 goalkeeper from scoring a ridiculous goal!
77 mins - Diamanti commits a foul and Soares curls the ball into the middle of a crowded six-yard box. Stech goes in bravely and punches clear under real pressure from Prosser, who stays down and needs treatment. To be fair to Stech, he was straight up and grabbed the ball when it was fed back into the box.
75 mins - This is going to be a proper test for West Ham's youngsters in front of a noisy, vociferous and passionate crowd at Roots Hall. They'll need to show good concentration to keep Southend at bay as the home side have their collective tails up.
72 mins - West Ham have a free-kick wide on the left. Diamanti takes it and unfortunately his cross is over-hit and bounces once before going out for a goal kick. Montano's first touch then hits him and goes behind for Southend free-kick at the other end. It is action stations as Easton volleys it across the face of goal. Prosser tries to deflect it into the net, but makes a mess of his effort and the ball balloons high and out of danger.
70 mins - GOAL! The ball is rolled square by Soares to Grant, who smacks a first-time effort that swerves past the unsighted Stech and into the net from about 18 yards out. West Ham's 471-minute clean sheet run is ended. Two more changes from West Ham's Grant, with Montano and and Nouble on for Barrera and Piquionne.
69 mins - Hmmm.... Substitute Paterson is fouled by Spector right on the edge of the penalty area. No card for the US defender, but a free-kick in a very dangerous place.
68 mins - Fry does well again, winning a brave header before tidying up and passig wide left to Barrera. The Mexican has gone wide left, with Stanislas on the right.
66 mins - Fry does well to get in a vital challenge on Mohsni inside the box, despite the home fans' calls for a penalty. That was NEVER a foul. West Ham break through Stanislas before Spector wins a corner. Diamanti curls it in but the ball is cleared straight back to him, so the Italian tries again and the goalkeeper holds on to his centre.
64 mins - The West Ham fans are absolutely loving it, bringing out a few East End hits on the terraces.
62 mins - GOAL! Barrera with a little flick, if that's what you call it, and Diamanti is away. The Italian cuts on to his left foot and his shot from 25 yards takes a wicked deflection of the unfortunate Phillips and loops over Morris. Grant makes two changes immediately, bringing on Olly Lee and Matt Fry for Edgar and Da Costa. The Beast gives the travelling fans a clap as he jogs off.
60 mins - Piquionne looks as if he has a shooting chance inside the penalty area, but Phillips lunges in to block. Moments later, Edgar turns his man and shoots from 20 yards, but he drags a low effort well wide of the near post.
56 mins - Gill is replaced by Adam Bizaud, while Spencer is off and Matt Paterson is on in his place. No sign of any alterations from Avram Grant, as yet. Daprela gets some running repairs from physio Andy Rolls, but he seems fine.
54 mins - Talking of the crowd, the attendance tonight is 8,008 - 2,648 of whom are West Ham supporters. For those not good at maths, that means there are 5,360 home fans here.
53 mins - The home crowd don't like that at all! Spencer challenges Stech, who has come a long way from goal to claim a high ball. The refere gives a foul, but the Southend faithful think it's the wrong decision.
52 mins - Barrera might be small but he doesn't mind a tackle, leaving Phillips in a heap on the floor with a meaty challenge.
49 mins - Diamanti tries his luck again from distance, making 15 yards before smashing a low left-foot shot wide of the post from 25 yards out. Goalkeeper Morris was scrambling, but he didn't look too concerned. Frank Nouble is warming up on the touchline.
47 mins - Da Costa takes a risk and loses possession inside his own half. Corr finds Spencer, whose cross looks threatening before Daprela heads clear at the back post.
46 mins - Southend get us back under way again here at a rapidly darkening Roots Hall.
Southend make one change at half-time, replacing right-back Clohessy with No16 Bilel Mohsni.
Half-time score - Southend United 0-0 West Ham United
45 mins - Right-back Clohessy needlessly concedes a corner. Stanislas knocks it into the near post, and the ball is cleared behind. Rather than blow for another corner, D'Urso brings the opening half to a close. That is now 446 minutes without conceding a goal for the Hammers. Impressive.
43 mins - That would have been OUTSTANDING. Diamanti uses audacious skill to get past three defenders before trying to chip Morris from the edge of the box. The goalkeeper stretches high above his head to grab the ball and prevent what would have been something truly special from the Italian.
42 mins - Barrera and Piquionne combine to good effect, the Mexican cutting inside before feeding the French forward. The 31-year-old gets past one defender before driving a shot inches wide from 20 yards. That was close.
39 mins - Stanislas skips between two defenders before hitting a lovely ball beyond Phillips with the outside of his right foot. Unfortunately, Piquionne fouls the defender inadvertantly and the attack is stopped in its tracks.
38 mins - Southend have a corner that is curled into the near post, where Stech does superbly well to hold on.
37 mins - Spencer sees his cross-shot blocked for the Blues before West Ham break forward and Piquionne heads the ball down for Edgar, who drives his shot inches wide from 25 yards. A few fans thought that had sneaked in at the post, but it hit the side netting.
34 mins - Daprela and Edgar combine down the left before the latter feeds Barrera. The Mexican's first touch sees the ball sit up to be hit on the volley, but Luke Prosser gets in their to challenge and the ball goes behind off the Mexican.
29 mins - Stanislas goes at his man and wins a corner. Barrera takes it short to Spector, whose cross is too strong. Da Costa retrieves possession, but West Ham can do nothing with it.
26 mins - Gabbidon brings down Corr. Southend take it quickly but the Welshman is there to clear up his own mess.
24 mins - Kovac mis-times a challenge and brings down former Chelsea trainee Grant 30 yards out. Soares fancies this one... So, just to show me up, striker Barry Corr curls one over the wall and Stech holds the bouncing ball a yard in front of his line. Tidy goalkeeping.
23 mins - Barrera has been heavily involved and he picks up play from Edgar and cuts inside Barker before shooting low with his left foot. Phillips is there to hack clear.
21 mins - West Ham should score through Edgar. The Hammers break from the back before Stanislas cuts inside Clohessy and threads a superb ball through for fellow Academy graduate Edgar. The midfielder has time to pick his spot, but sees his low shot blocked by the foot of Morris. Good save, to be fair to the 'keeper.
19 mins - There is a murmur of expectation here on the south Essex coast, as if the crowd can sense an opening goal soon... Barrera crosses not once, but twice, the first is headed clear by Phillips and the second miscontrolled by Piquionne, who then fouls the centre-back.
17 mins - Craig Easton lifts a ball forward into the box where Da Costa slices it behind for a corner. Soares curls the ball over and Phillips heads high and wide from six yards.
15 mins - Diamanti tries to pick out Piquionne with an audacious 50-yard ball forward, and it nearly comes off. Morris comes right to the edge of his penalty area and grabs the ball. That looked close to being handball...
11 mins - West Ham have really stepped it up. Stech claims a high ball and bowls it out to Barrera. The Mexican switches play with a 40-yard ball across to Stanislas, who stands up a cross to the back post. Piquionne tries to divert his header back across the goal, but Morris is able to parry his effort and the ball is cleared.
9 mins - Stanislas picks up a loose ball and plays a one-two with Edgar before lashing an effort goalwards from 25 yards. Goalkeeper Morris is unable to hold it at his first attempt, but no Hammers are following in and he is able to grab the loose ball.
8 mins - Barrera's corner is flicked on by Piquionne to Da Costa, who takes a touch and is forced slightly wide. His left-foot effort is wild and into the top tier of the South Stand.
7 mins - Barrera gets forward well and lofts a cross into the box, where Mark Phillips is there to head clear. Barrera tries again and his effort is blocked. Spector picks up possession and wins a corner.
5 mins - West Ham haven't really found their passing rhythm yet but, then again, nor have Southend. The game is taking a little time to settle down.
3 mins - The West Ham end is officially full. The Hammers supporters are being filed into seats immediately adjoining the North Stand in the West Stand. Soares sets Clohessy along the right flank and the right-back launches his cross over the stand and out of the ground. Ironic cheers from the away supporters.
1 min - A nice spell of possession from the Hammers in the early stages ends with Barrera giving the ball away with his first touch! Southend break, but Louie Soares is offside. Both teams are lined up in a 4-5-1 formation.
8pm - We're ready to go. Kovac won the toss and West Ham will kick-off through Edgar and Piquionne.
7.56pm - The Hammers players are heading back down the tunnel again! That must mean kick-off is rapidly approaching. Indeed, a minute later and the two teams are led out by referee Andy D'Urso, who hails from nearby Billericay.
7.55pm - Radoslav Kovac is wearing the captain's armband tonight in the absence of Matthew Upson and Scott Parker. As the West Ham players appeared, the Southend players disappeared back down the tunnel again. Interesting.
7.53pm - The Southend players are still out there doing a few sprints, but there is no sign of the Hammers starting XI. This delay gives me time to tell you last time the two teams met in the Football League, the Blues ran out 1-0 winners on 7 April 1993. Oh hold on, here come the Hammers...
7.47pm - The Southend team are out warming up on the pitch, as are the West Ham subs. Not sure whether Avram Grant will send his starters out again. The fans behind the goal in the North Stand to my right are singing their hearts out with a chorus of 'Come On You Irons'.
7.44pm - The players have headed back to their respective dressing rooms as kick-off has been put back to 8pm, presumably due to the massive number of fans still trying to get into the stadium.
7.40pm - There is a very decent crowd inside Roots Hall this evening. The sprinklers are still on just moments before kick-off, so we can expect a good, fast game on a lush playing surface. The two teams are in the tunnel...
7.35pm - The substitutes have finished their exercises and are putting the footballs away for the coaching staff. Freddie Sears is signing a few autographs before heading down the tunnel.
7.30pm - West Ham's players are just heading back to the dressing room beneath me following a thorough workout with fitness coach Eamon Swift. The away end is absolutely full to bursting with Hammers supporters who have ventured down the A127 on a warm and sunny evening. Among the famous faces in the crowd are Chairman David Gold and former West Ham striker Brian Dear, who works in the corporate hospitality department here at Roots Hall.
Good evening and welcome to Roots Hall for tonight's pre-season friendly match between League Two new boys Southend United and West Ham United.
It has been a successful pre-season for both clubs for very different reasons. While the Hammers have won five out of five so far, the Blues are celebrating after avoiding going into administration by reaching a deal with Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs on Monday.
Southend will be hoping their good fortune off the pitch inspires better luck on it following last season's relegation to League Two and the appointment of new manager Paul Sturrock.
The Blues have brought in virtually a whole new squad this summer, while West Ham hand first starts in a claret and blue shirt to new arrivals Frederic Piquionne and Pablo Barrera this evening. Academy scholar George Moncur heads a number of young players called in by manager Avram Grant.
West Ham United: Stech, Spector (Spence 77), Da Costa (Fry 62), Gabbidon, Daprela, Kovac, Edgar (Lee 62), Diamanti (Sears 87), Barrera (Montano 70), Stanislas, Piquionne (Nouble 70)
Subs: Kurucz, Eyjolfsson, Brown, Moncur,
Southend United: Morris, Clohessy (Mohsni 46), Barker, Phillips, Prosser, Soares (Sturrock 77), Gill (Bizoud 56), Easton, Spencer (Paterson 56), Corr (Zaaboub 77), Grant (Coughlan 87)
Subs: Evans, Herd, Crawford, James-Lewis