WEST HAM UNITED v WIGAN ATHLETIC
BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE
SATURDAY 27 NOVEMBER 2010
KICK-OFF: 3PM
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Final score - West Ham United 3-1 Wigan Athletic
94 mins - 'Zogbia gets in behind Reid and pulls the ball back, but Tomkins blocks. The corner is initially half-cleared but when Gohouri turns the ball in, he is flagged for offside. Replays show Kovac was playing him well onside! Seconds later, Green hacks upfield and the final whistle is blown.
93 mins - You couldn't make this up. We're in injury time and Behrami injures his groin. He has to go off. West Ham will finish the game with ten... No they won't! Behrami comes back on!
92 mins - Kovac concedes a free-kick about 30 yards out. Watson curls the ball in low and Green holds on.
91 mins - We're having four extra minutes. Stanislas and Barrera work some space before Barrera crosses low and Figueroa hacks it behind. The second corner is played short but after some shielding Stanislas is penalised for a foul.
90 mins - Cole picks up the ball and has just one defender to beat. He can pass to Barrera, but instead shoots and the ball hits a Wigan player and loops over the top for a corner.
86 mins - GOAL! 'Zogbia beats Gabbidon and Cleverley belts a first-time finish past Green from 16 yards. No clean sheet, then.
84 mins - Kovac plays Cole in behind Caldwell. He holds the ball up but then mis-places his cross and Wigan clear their lines.
83 mins - Parker is the man to be replaced by Kovac.
82 mins - Radoslav Kovac will be on in a second, but not before man of the match - as chosen by SBOBET - Robert Green makes another good save low down from a Moses cross.
81 mins - Barrera streaks down the right and sends over a fine cross that loops over Gohouri, but Cole drags his volley wide of the target.
77 mins - Piquionne is off and Carlton Cole is on for the final 15 minutes or so.
75 mins - GOAL! Parker! That is surely that as Obinna gets down the left and pulls the ball back for Parker to finish confidently from just inside the six-yard box. Parker runs along the front of Bobby Moore Stand celebrating with his adoring fans.
73 mins - Piquionne wins another flick on and the ball bounces into the path of Obinna. He twists and turns but loses the ball.
72 mins - The free-kick cannons into the wall and out for a throw.
71 mins - Watson is fouled by Parker literally right on the edge of the West Ham box. This is a big chance for the visitors. Green has six men in his wall. 'Zogbia fancies this one...
70 mins - Moses cuts in from the left and shoots low, but Green is there to make the save low down. He shows good handling too to hold on.
68 mins - Wigan make their final change, with Watson on for the more defensive Thomas.
66 mins - Replays suggest Gohouri didn't get the ball...
65 mins - Now West Ham want a penalty as Piquionne races on to Obinna's pass and appears to be brought down from behind by Gohouri. Referee Halsey gives nothing and suggests the Ivorian won the ball.
64 mins - Saved! Green dives to his left and keeps out Boselli's low effort with his legs. West Ham break and relieve the pressure on their own goal.
63 mins - Wigan have a penalty. Cleverley is felled by a sliding Gabbidon. Boselli to take the spot-kick with what must be his first touch...
61 mins - Di Santo is replaced by Boselli. Gomez is also going off, with Victor Moses coming on.
60 mins - Wigan are probing but they're not creating . If West Ham can get a third, surely the game is over. Figueroa picks out 'Zogbia with the outside of his left foot, but the No10 over-hits his cross and it flies out for a throw.
56 mins - GOAL! At last. Obinna! Upson heads forward and Obinna swaps passes with Piquionne before slamming a left-foot shot across Al-Habsi and into the bottom right-hand corner. That was a fine goal and Obinna's first in the league for the club and first at the Boleyn Ground.
55 mins - The game is back underway. Today's crowd is 34,178. West Ham need to score a second to avoid a nervy last half-hour. Reid hurls a long throw into the box and the ball drops to Obinna on the edge. He lets it bounce once before shooting low and wide of the target.
54 mins - 'Zogbia takes on Behrami and Reid and loses the ball before falling to the turf clutching his face. Replays suggest there wasn't much in that. Green hacks the ball out for the No10 to receive treatment.
52 mins - Piquionne wins ANOTHER flick on and the ball lands at the feet of Obinna. He plays in Barrera, who can find the unmarked Stanislas for a certain goal. Instead, the No12 stabs his shot well wide of the far post.
52 mins - Diame out-muscles Parker and then runs at the West Ham defence, but he is crowded out and the ball slowly out for a goal kick.
50 mins - Jacobsen is forced off. Winston Reid is on in his his place.
49 mins - Piquionne must score... Instead the Frenchman somehow drags his shot wide from six yards out. He was completely unmarked from Upson's cross. In fact, he looked suspiciously offside. The assistant had not given anything though, and WIgan have a goal kick.
49 mins - It looks like Jacobsen has a knock and is going to have to come off. Meantime, Piquionne wins a corner.
47 mins - That is a let off for the Hammers as Diame gets in behind the back four. He delays for slightly too long before shooting however, and Tomkins is able to scramble the ball clear.
46 mins - Cleverley and Di Santo get play back under way. West Ham will shoot towards the Bobby Moore Stand in the second half. 'Zogbia and Cleverley have switched flanks.
Wigan are first to emerge from the dressing room. Sensibly, the Hammers enjoy the warmth for a couple of extra minutes. 'Bubbles' starts to play and the boys in claret and blue re-emerge. Wigan will kick-off the second 45 minutes.
Half-time score - West Ham United 1-0 Wigan Athletic
47 mins - 'Zogbia plays a couple of one-twos as the half-time whistle is blown. Good timing Mr Halsey! Join us again in 15 minutes...
46 mins - We are going to have at least one more minute. Wigan are on the attack...
43 mins - A moment of danger as the Latics attack in numbers and Diame tries to play in 'Zogbia, but Upson holds firm before Parker and Tomkins clean up.
41 mins - Piquionne wins another flick-on and Obinna latches on to it. He and Barrera then get in each other's way and Wigan somehow clear.
39 mins - West Ham are all over Wigan. Behrami wins a free-kick wide on the left. Stanislas sends it over and Al-Habsi flaps at it. The ball drops to Upson, who smashes his shot wide of the target.
38 mins - Stanislas picks up the ball about 25 yards out before hammering in a drive that Al-Habsi claws over the top. Stanislas sends over the corner and Piquionne springs and heads goalwards, but the Omani makes a sensational save. Barrera's follow-up is blocked.
37 mins - Di Santo looks to get past Upson, but the skipper sticks to his task and slides in before winning a goal kick off the South American.
34 mins - GOAL! Jacobsen sends a cross over from deep on the right, Piqiuonne wins another header and Behrami bursts between two defenders before sliding the ball past Al-Habsi from about eight yards. Piquionne has won everything in the air today and it needed a midfielder to gamble, just like that, to take advantage.
34 mins - Gabbidon does well against 'Zogbia before Stanislas sends Piquionne away but he is stopped by Gohouri.
33 mins - Behrami crosses to the edge of the Wigan box. Piquionne heads the ball into the area, but there is nobody there to take advantage and Al-Habsi grabs the bouncing ball.
31 mins - Stam concedes a corner under pressure from Piquionne. Stanislas takes it and Al-Habsi goes up with Piquionne. Halsey gives a foul against the striker, but it didn't look like the No30 did anything wrong.
27 mins - The corner is clerared and Obinna breaks, but he is alone and loses the ball. 'Zogbia comes again and is stopped in his tracks by Parker, who then thunders into another challenge in the midfield. He meant that one! The crowd roar with approval.
26 mins - Wigan have a good bit of possesion around the West Ham box before 'Zogbia isolates himself against Stanislas. He cuts on to his left foot and shoots and Parker is there to block. Corner.
22 mins - Parker again drives West Ham forward before playing the ball to Obinna. He turns and slips the ball through Gohouri's legs for Stanislas, but it's over-hit and Al-Habsi picks up the ball.
21 mins - West Ham pick up a bit of energy from a Parker run. First, Obinna crosses too long, then Barrera picks up the ball on the right and sends over a dangerous cross that Caldwell does well to head clear at the near post.
18 mins - 'Zogbia picks up possession and runs at Gabbidon before winning a corner. The France midfielder crosses and Green claims high above his head. West Ham go on the counter and Stanislas picks out the run of Obinna. The No33 looks up and crosses the ball straight into the arms of Al-Habsi.
16 mins - Stanislas tries to pick out the run of Piquionne with a curling pass, but Caldwell cuts it out. Gohouri then belts the ball towards his own goal and it hits Piquionne on the head before looping into the arms of Al-Habsi.
13 mins - Obinna gets goalside of Caldwell as he breaks on to Piquionne's flick. It looks like the defender pulls Obinna's shirt, but referee Halsey gives a corner. Stanislas' delivery is deep and although Behrami gets to the ball, it is hacked clear. Parker picks up possession and spreads the ball wide left to Stanislas, who cuts infield but sees his shot charged down.
12 mins - Diame scoots down the left and gets in behind Behrami. He looks to have carried the ball out for a goal kick, but the assistant gives nothing. Diame cuts the ball back for Cleverley, who shoots first time and sees his effort saved by Green low to his right.
10 mins - A wayward clearance hits Diame firm in the face and leaves the Frenchman reeling. Wigan break, but West Ham snuff out the danger. The Hammers then counter-attack themselves through Behrami, but his pass again finds Piquionne in an offside position.
9 mins - Behrami concedes a free-kick out on the Wigan left. Cleverley takes about 30 seconds lining up his cross before ballooning the ball out for a goal kick.
8 mins - We've had nothing in the way of goalmouth action as yet, aside from Parker's shot, which was going well wide of the target before it hit Halsey.
5 mins - Stanislas wins the ball inside the Wigan half and Piquionne overlaps and wins a throw. From it, the ball falls to Parker, who drives a shot that nearly knocks referee Halsey into next week! Cue amusement and chuckling all-round from the fans. It looks like the man in green and black will be fine to continue!
4 mins - Green clears long and Piquionne wins the flick-on, but Gohouri gets in ahead of Obinna and hacks the ball out for a throw.
3 mins - Gabbidon tries to pick out the run of Obinna, but the Nigerian is also caught offside as Gohouri heads clear.
2 mins - Wigan win a throw deep inside the West Ham half on their left. Figueroa throws the ball to Di Santo, but he can't control. Goal kick.
1 min - A long ball forward is controlled on the chest by Piquionne, but he's offside. It looks like West Ham are adopting a 4-4-1-1 formation, with Obinna providing a link between the midfield and the Frenchman.
3pm - Barrera and Piquionne gets us up and running...
2.58pm - I am told Wigan have brought 180 fans with them this afternoon. Well done to each and every one of them for battling through the cold weather and snow this morning. Wally Downes is introduced to the crowd and gets a decent reception as he gives the fans a wave.
2.56pm - 'Bubbles' starts to play and kick-off is rapidly approaching. Here come the two teams, led by captains Matthew Upson and Maynor Figueroa. The last time these two teams met at the Boleyn Ground, they produced a five-goal thriller. Will we see a repeat this afternoon? To be honest, I'd take a scrappy 1-0 all day long!
2.53pm - Further afield, West Ham fan and US President Barack Obama has picked up a nasty injury while playing basketball. Obama was hurt during a game of basketball and needed 12 stitches in his upper mouth.
2.52pm - Elsewhere today, Freddie Sears lines up for loan club Scunthorpe United against Coventry City in the npower Championship. Matt Fry is unable to take part in Charlton Athletic's FA Cup second-round tie with Luton Town due to suspension.
2.50pm - Both sets of players are heading for the warmth of their respective dressing rooms. It is a freezing cold afternoon here in east London but, so far, we've escaped the snow that has ravaged other parts of the country. SBOBET Executive Director Bill Mummery is introduced to the crowd and tells the fans how much the company is enjoying working with the club and the local community. Mummery also confirms that SBOBET will sponsor West Ham's shirts for the next three seasons.
2.45pm - Today marks the second anniversary of West Ham's partnership with principal partners SBOBET. SBOBET have dished out free tickets to local schools today, which is a nice gesture. On the pitch, new coach Wally Downes is putting the back four and goalkeeper through their paces with a series of special drills. Pablo Barrera and Junior Stanislas are pumping crosses into the box for the defenders to clear.
2.30pm - Paolo Di Canio is back at the Boleyn this afternoon. The Hammers legend has been relaxing in his own corporate hospitality suite, the Paolo Di Canio Lounge, pre-match. I can report that the Italian is looking as fit as a fiddle, as ever. An exclusive interview with Di Canio will appear in the matchday programme for Tuesday's Carling Cup quarter-final tie with Manchester United. To order your copy, click here.
Good afternoon and welcome to a decidedly cold Boleyn Ground for this afternoon's important Barclays Premier League fixture between West Ham United and Wigan Athletic.
The Hammers need a win to kick-start their season, having picked up just one win and nine points from 14 games so far. Wigan have only performed slightly better, collecting just three victories and 14 points themselves.
With those statistics in mind, West Ham know success this afternoon would close the gap between themselves and today's opponents to just two points - while also potentially closing the deficit on 17th-placed Fulham to the same margin.
Team news-wise, manager Avram Grant has made five changes from last weekend's 3-0 defeat at Liverpool. Herita Ilunga, Radoslav Kovac, Mark Noble, Luis Boa Morte and Carlton Cole make way for James Tomkins, Scott Parker, Valon Behrami, Pablo Barrera and Junior Stanislas.
Parker returns after recovering from a chest infection, while Tomkins makes his first league start since the opening-day defeat at Aston Villa. Tomkins will partner captain Matthew Upson in the centre of defence, with Danny Gabbidon moving to left-back.
Winger Stanislas makes just his second league appearance of the season, having previously appeared as a last-minute substitute in the 3-0 loss at Manchester United on 28 August.
Zavon Hines also returns to the bench after eleven months out with a knee injury. The forward scored for the reserves against Chelsea in midweek.
West Ham United: Green, Jacobsen (Reid 50), Tomkins, Upson, Gabbidon, Barrera, Parker (Kovac 83), Behrami, Stanislas, Obinna, Piquionne (Cole 77)
Subs: Boffin, Boa Morte, McCarthy, Hines
Wigan Athletic: Al-Habsi, Stam, Gohouri, S.Caldwell, Figueroa, Thomas (Watson 68), Diame, Gomez (Moses 61), 'Zogbia, Cleverley, Di Santo (Boselli 61)
Subs: Pollitt, McArthur, Mustoe, McManaman