WEST HAM UNITED v EVERTON
BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE
TUESDAY 28 DECEMBER 2010
KICK-OFF: 5.30PM
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Final score - West Ham United 1-1 Everton
96 mins - Howard clears upfield and the final whistle blows. A point was a fair result for both sides, I would suggest, especially considering Everton did not play on Boxing Day and arrived in east London having won at league leaders Manchester City last time out. Join us again on New Year's Day for the visit of Wolverhampton Wanderers. Before then, exclusive reaction will appear on whufc.com and WHUTV shortly.
95 mins - Parker chips the set play in but it's too high and floats harmlessly behind for a goal kick. Parker puts his hands to his face in frustration.
95 mins - Parker and Boa Morte do well before Sears runs at the Everton defence. Cole goes down, while Sears also wants a free-kick. Webb agrees. Last chance for West Ham. Free-kick about 30-odd yards out. Parker to take...
93 mins - Everton replace Arteta with the Russian Diniyar Bilyaletdinov.
93 mins - Sears does superbly to play the ball past Baines and race into space. Sears looks up but only has Cole to aim for. His cross is good, but it is headed back to Howard easily enough.
91 mins - We're going to have at least FIVE more minutes! Hines gets in and causes problems for Hibbert. He gets to the ball first and then goes down. The crowd think Howard, who is on the edge of the penalty area, had fouled the substitute, but Webb gives only a throw.
90 mins - Pienaar is replaced by Jermaine Beckford for added time.
89 mins - Yakubu wins a corner off Faubert. Baines takes it and Cahill can only head wide. Massive sighs of relief all round!
88 mins - Everton are still pressing but Upson makes a fantastic challenge on the edge of the penalty area before Hines wins a throw. West Ham can't keep possession though.
85 mins - Obinna is replaced by Zavon Hines for the final few minutes.
84 mins - The visitors are finishing the stronger, but West Ham are doggedly working away to keep Everton at bay. I think most people would take a draw here, aside from the Everton fans of course!
83 mins - Everton's fans celebrate, but their joy is short-lived as Cahill was a mile offside when he latched on to Yakubu's acrobatic bouncing volley.
81 mins - Parker isn't tired, then! Baines bursts forward and finds Pienaar. He is just about to pull the trigger when Parker flies in with a perfect sliding challenge. The corner finds the head of Fellaini and Green is forced to make a good reaction save. The follow-up shot flies over the crossbar.
80 mins - Big chance for Cahill but his first-time shot is straight at Green from 12 yards. West Ham are starting to look a touch jaded.
77 mins - Everton break away and look like they have a man over, but Spector stands firm and blocks a shot from Coleman.
74 mins - Fellaini brings down Cole within shooting range. It's probably between 28 and 30 yards from goal, slightly to the left of centre. Obinna's shot hits the wall.
72 mins - Cole makes a nuisance of himself and Baines heads the ball behind for a needless corner. Parker takes and Tomkins shows no ill-effects by winning the header. He can't direct it on target, though.
71 mins - Howard clears and Yakubu stays grounded as Tomkins tries to win the header. The No5 flips over the striker and falls awkwardly. After a bit of a check-up, he's OK to continue.
70 mins - West Ham will probably not get a better chance to win this game than that. Obinna sends a fantastic pass through for Sears, whose cross is inch-perfect for Cole. The striker tries to pass the ball back past Howard and into the corner, but it rolls a few yards wide of the post.
68 mins - Parker tries to send Sears off down the right, but Baines stands firm and forces Sears to concede a goal kick. The crowd think it's a corner, but the decision is correct.
67 mins - Everton are again seeing more of the ball but they can't find a way through the massed ranks of West Ham defenders and midfielders. It should not be forgotten that Everton have not played since 20 December, whereas West Ham were on duty at Fulham on Boxing Day.
65 mins - West Ham give the ball away and Everton break down their left. Kovac brings down Pienaar in full flight and is booked for his troubles. No complaints from the Czech.
64 mins - Faubert barges into Yakubu and Everton have a free-kick midway inside the West Ham half. It is belted out to the right wing where Fellaini is penalised.
62 mins - Yakubu is on for Rodwell. I presume the Nigerian powerhouse will go up front and Cahill will drop back into the midfield. West Ham have changed shape, with Obinna going wide left and Cole up front on his own.
60 mins - Good stuff again from Cole, holding off Hibbert before winning a corner. Parker sends another testing cross into the danger area and Tomkins wins it, but the ball loops over the crossbar.
59 mins - Green smashes a long clearance upfield and Cole wins a throw off Distin. West Ham will need more of that sort of strong play over the closing half-hour.
56 mins - Cole replaces Piquionne.
55 mins - Spector brings down Coleman near the corner flag. Arteta takes the free-kick and the ball squirms through to Pienaar just outside the area. His shot is blocked. Everton come again, but Fellaini's volley bounces well wide.
54 mins - Piquionne falls over and Baines latches on to Pienaar's pass before crossing. Green catches the ball in front of his face. I think Cole could be on for Piquionne shortly.
53 mins - Good determined play sees Boa Morte win a free-kick following a challenge from Neville. A chance for the hosts to get the ball into the Everton box. Parker delivers and Howard punches the ball out for a throw.
51 mins - Piquionne is penalised for tugging back Hibbert as he chases a through ball. Howard takes the free-kick and the ball is worked to Pienaar, who curls a fine effort a yard over the top.
50 mins - Webb gets an ironic cheer from the home fans as Kovac challenges Pienaar and the ball rolls out for a West Ham throw.
48 mins - Not a lot happening so far since the break, to be honest.
46 mins - West Ham get the second half underway and threaten immediately through Obinna, but he drives his shot well off-target from 25 yards.
Half-time score - West Ham United 1-1 Everton
47 mins - Coleman comes forward again and takes on Spector. His cross is cut out and Parker clears, allowing Webb the opportunity to blow for half-time.
46 mins - We're going to have at least two added minutes. Everton come forward again and have plenty of men in the box. Coleman has space and turns on to his left foot, but can only sky his shot over the top from 15 yards.
45 mins - That would have been some goal. Sears and Obinna combine down the West Ham right before Parker collects and turns. The No8 runs at the defence before trying to chip Howard from 25 yards. The ball floats over the goalkeeper and lands on top of the goal netting.
43 mins - Sears wins a corner. The ball is crossed over from the left and Upson is unmarked, but his header glances wide of the post. Good chance, that.
42 mins - GOAL! Coleman ghosts in at the far post to smash a low shot past Green from Arteta's left-wing cross and equalise for Everton.
39 mins - Everton win another corner as Baines' cross cannons off Sears. Baines takes and the ball bounces out to Neville. The full-back catches his shot well, but Spector is out quickly to charge it down.
37 mins - Obinna shows real sharpness by nicking the ball off Fellaini's toe. The Belgian then brings down Obinna. He gets a talking-to from Webb. Parker sends the free-kick over, but it's too high for Upson. Goal kick.
34 mins - Ilunga walks to the touchline and is going to have to be replaced. Jonathan Spector receives a warm welcome from the stands.
33 mins - Baines is getting forward again and again down the left and this time his cross flashes across the face of goal and out for a throw. Ilunga is down inside the West Ham penalty area and looks like he might have to be replaced.
31 mins - A chance for West Ham this time as Boa Morte slides the ball through for Obinna. The No33 checks and passes to Piquionne, who cuts inside on to his right foot but sees his shot charged down.
30 mins - That was a bit lucky! Everton work an opening superbly down their left before a low cross is sent over by Baines. Cahill dummies and Upson sticks a toe out before Parker spins and clears.
29 mins - West Ham deal with the corner and, following some good work by Obinna, Parker and Green clear. Everton win back possession quickly and Neville has acres down the right, but Green is able to come out and claim his cross above Cahill.
28 mins - Everton come forward this time and the ball is worked to Baines, who whips over a first-time cross from the left. Kovac gets back in and heads behind ahead of Arteta.
27 mins - Boa Morte and Parker combine well once before the winger tries to release Parker behind Neville. He is just offside as he runs on to the through ball.
26 mins - Obinna sends over a delicious set piece and Upson rises, but his header flies over the top. Good delivery again, though.
24 mins - The home side have their tails up here. Obinna waits and sends in a cross towards Piquionne at the back post, but it is headed clear. The clearance falls to Tomkins, who runs at Rodwell and is felled by his England Under-21 colleague. Free-kick about 12 yards outside the penalty area.
21 mins - Howard gets himself in a right muddle as he tries to usher the ball out near the corner flag. The ball hits the flag pole as the American tries to hold off Piquionne. Referee Webb gives a free-kick to Everton, but replays suggest that if anything Howard was obstructing the No30.
20 mins - Obinna nutmegs Arteta before charging into the box and thudding a shot into the stanchion. That was close again.
19 mins - This game has really opened up. Piquionne sends a delightful ball over Baines to Sears, who skins the left-back and crosses. The ball hits a defender and comes off Boa Morte before Everton clear.
18 mins - Arteta's corner is won by Distin, but his header is flicked wide off the head of Piquionne. The second corner also falls to the Frenchman, but he can only lash a left-foot shot over the top from 12 yards.
17 mins - The goal is announced as a Hibbert own-goal, Meanwhile, Coleman gets in behind and Upson slides in to concede a corner.
16 mins - GOAL! Kovac! Scott Parker's corner is a superb one and Tomkins heads it down powerfully. When Howard parries, Tomkins makes a nuisance of himself and the ball is only cleared a few yards to Kovac, whose overhead kick is diverted past Howard by Hibbert.
15 mins - Piquionne gets down the left again and feeds Ilunga, whose low cross is to the feet of Sears, who wins a corner.
14 mins - Parker goes in strongly again in midfield and the ball finds Obinna. The No33 turns and looks for the run of Sears, but Baines shows his experience and cuts the pass out on the edge of the penalty area.
13 mins - West Ham are settling down a bit here and are seeing their own fair share of the ball. Piquionne looks lively and is pulling Hibbert all over the place with his movement.
10 mins - Parker gets in on Rodwell and pokes the ball to Piquionne. The No30 turns and looks up before playing the ball to Obinna. The Nigerian cuts back on to his left foot inside the penalty area, but his low cross is just cut out by a stretching Hibbert.
9 mins - Everton are enjoying plenty of possession and West Ham just cannot clear their own half. Distin floats a ball over for Cahill to chase, but Upson shields the Australian and the ball skips into the hands of Green.
6 mins - Some neat interplay ends with Rodwell escaping down the right. Ilunga holds him up before Parker slides in to concede a corner. The initial delivery is dealt with by Boa Morte, but the ball is worked back to Distin in loads of space inside the penalty area. Thankfully, his first touch is a bit loose and he can only smash a low shot across the face of goal and out for a throw.
5 mins - Faubert's clearance is charged down and it gives Fellaini a chance to charge forward, but when he tries to find Pienaar wide on the left, the South African is offside.
4 mins - Boa Morte gets a cheer as he neatly nips in to clear from Coleman with a backheel to Parker. Confident play from the No13.
2 mins - West Ham go forward again down the left and Piquionne is tackled heavily by Neville. Again, no free-kick is awarded.
1 min - Ilunga tries to get round right-back Neville and goes to ground, but Webb gives nothing more than a goal kick. Hibbert is playing in an unaccustomed role in central defence.
5.30pm - We are underway. A long ball forward is dealt with by Upson and Green collects. He punts upfield and Obinna forces Hibbert to concede a throw.
5.29pm - Upson and visiting skipper Phil Neville join referee Howard Webb in the centre circle for the coin toss. Everton will kick-off, shooting towards the Bobby Moore Stand. We're nearly ready to go.
5.27pm - Matthew Upson and his team-mates get a rousing reception as they break away from the pre-match handshakes and sprint towards the Bobby Moore Stand.
5.25pm - 'Bubbles' starts to play and the two teams are ready to emerge from the tunnel. It's a chilly evening here at the Boleyn Ground, but nowhere near as cold as it has been in recent weeks. The pitch, I have to say, looks in immaculate condition. Here come the teams...
5.23pm - Among the spectators this afternoon is England cricket great Graham Gooch, who has recently returned from Ashes duty in Australia. Let us hope he has brought some of the form shown by Andrew Strauss' side with him to east London!
5.20pm - The pitch is clear save for a few groundstaff filling in the divots. The atmosphere is building ahead of tonight's game. Results elsewhere didn't go perfectly for the Hammers, but victory would still lift them out of the relegation zone.
Good afternoon and welcome to a dark and dank Boleyn Ground for this evening's Barclays Premier League fixture between West Ham United and Everton.
The Hammers will be eager to build on their 3-1 Boxing Day victory at Fulham, while Everton will also be keen to earn a second straight win after defeating Manchester City 2-1 at Eastlands eight days ago. The Toffees' home meeting with Birmingham City two days ago was postponed due to frozen pipes at Goodison Park.
Should West Ham win, they would climb above Birmingham and Wigan Athletic into 17th place and outside the relegation zone. However, the Blues do host Manchester United at St Andrews in the 8pm kick-off.
Everton will present tough opponents, however, having not been defeated in any of their previous seven away league matches. David Moyes' side are also unbeaten in their last six league meetings with West Ham - a run dating back to Bobby Zamora's winner in a 1-0 Hammers success in April 2007.
Team news-wise, West Ham manager Avram Grant has made four changes to the starting XI that won at Fulham. Julien Faubert and Herita Ilunga replace Tal Ben Haim and Danny Gabbidon in the full-back positions, while Luis Boa Morte returns from a one-match ban to take the place of Junior Stanislas on the left wing. Up front, Carlton Cole makes way for Victor Obinna.
West Ham United: Green, Faubert, Tomkins, Upson, Ilunga (Spector 34), Sears, Kovac, Parker, Boa Morte, Obinna (Hines 85), Piquionne (Cole 56)
Subs: Boffin, Reid, Stanislas, Barrera
Everton: Howard, Neville, Hibbert, Distin, Baines, Coleman, Fellaini, Rodwell (Yakubu 62), Arteta, Pienaar (Beckford 90), Cahill
Subs: Mucha, Duffy, Baxter, Bilyaletdinov, Saha