WEST HAM UNITED v STOKE CITY
CARLING CUP FOURTH ROUND
WEDNESDAY 27 OCTOBER 2010
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Final score - West Ham United 3-1 Stoke City
121 mins - The final whistle is blown and it's all over. West Ham are through to the last eight for the first time in four seasons. There, they will face one of Birmingham City, Ipswich Town, Manchester United, Arsenal, Aston Villa, West Bromwich Albion or Wigan Athletic. The draw will be made live on Sky Sports some time shortly after 12noon on Saturday. The quarter-final tie will be played in either the week commencing Monday 29 November, or week commencing 6 December if we face either Arsenal or Manchester United due to European commitments.
Keep a close eye on whufc.com and WHUTV for exclusive post-match reaction soon.
120 mins - Noble slides the ball to Obinna, who is one-on-one with Shawcross. He shoots left-footed and slices it a mile wide. We're going to have one more minute. Mission impossible for Stoke, who have four men up front. Huth shoots...wide.
118 mins - GOAL! That, ladies and gentlemen, is that. Noble is again involved, sliding an excellent pass through the middle of the Stoke back four for Obinna, who keeps his composure and drives a left-foot shot past Begovic from 12 yards. Game over, surely!
116 mins - Barrera looks as if he's feeling the pace a bit, too. Faubert is back on, by the way. He's gone on the right of midfield, with Behrami at right-back for the closing minutes. Pugh crosses and Stech is challenged by Walters. The ball drops in the box and a Stoke player hacks it over the gaping net. It looked like a foul on Stech, but Webb did not blow for an infringement. Goal kick.
114 mins - It's a war of attrition now as Delap's throw causes a bit of chaos. Eventually the ball drops to Shawcross, who backheels it wide. The Stoke skipper was offside, though.
113 mins - Delap mis-judges the trajectory this time and Obinna is able to head clear at the near post. Seconds later, Delap has another chance to launch one into the box, but not before Faubert receives some treatment. I'm not sure if it's cramp or a knee problem.
112 mins - Delap to throw into the mixer again, this time from the left...
111 mins - West Ham have just taken their collective foot off the gas a bit here. They need to keep working hard because a third goal would completely end this as a contest.
110 mins - Obinna runs on to Noble's pass but he is crowded out on the edge of the Stoke box by Higginbotham and the Potters clear.
108 mins - Delap hurls the ball in from the Stoke right and Stech gets up and punches it behind for a corner. Danger isn't over yet... It is now as Stech picks up the ball after it had hit Noble on the head.
107 mins - Stoke break and Walters is onside. He plays the ball back to Delap, whose pass wide right for Wilkinson is dreadfully over-hit.
106 mins - West Ham get us back underway and start the second half of extra time on the offensive. Parker drives forward and gets in, only for his shot to be stopped by a diving Begovic.
Grant again gathers his players for a last chat ahead of the final 15 minutes...
106 mins - Webb blows his whistle and we're going to have a short intermission.
105 mins - We're into the final minute of the first half and Stoke attack. Faubert needlessly hammers a clearance against a Stoke player and West Ham are forced to concede a throw. Delap launches it in again and Tomkins heads clear. Stoke are putting a man in front of Stech every time, blocking his path to the ball.
103 mins - West Ham are still carrying the greater threat, though. Noble and Behrami work hard to regain possession in midfield before the No16 feeds Obinna, whose low shot is deflected wide for a corner. Barrera crosses and Stoke clear.
102 mins - Stoke can't be ruled out, though, of course. With Delap's long throws and the likes of Huth on the field, they will always be a threat from set plays.
100 mins - Stoke are going to have to come and attack now. I'm not sure they have the personnel to throw men forward... West Ham are keeping the ball well, here, leading the crowd to 'Ole' as the Potters chase.
96 mins - GOAL! Take a bow Mark Noble! The midfielder takes a pass from Obinna before dribbling past three Stoke defenders as if they weren't there. The midfielder keeps his composure right on the touchline before cutting the ball back to Manuel da Costa, who slams it into the net from ten yards. Outstanding goal...
95 mins - West Ham have got a foothold in extra time now and are looking more dangerous. Noble finds Cole's chest with a raking pass and Shawcross is forced to hack the ball behind for a corner.
92 mins - The Potters have started well here and win a throw off the head of Faubert. Delap is on now, of course. but Tomkins rises high to head clear.
91 mins - Stoke kick-off attacking the Bobby Moore Stand end of the ground. Just before we got back underway, Grant gathered his players together for a team talk. The manager was quite animated. He clearly wants to win this one.
Score at 90 minutes - West Ham United 1-1 Stoke City
The two sets of players take on some fluids ahead of extra time. Obviously we can't have any more changes as all the subs are on.
94 mins - Obinna's free-kick hits the wall and that is that for normal time.
93 mins - We're in the final added minute and Cole is fouled by Shawcross about two yards outside the penalty area. This could well be the last kick of normal time.... Noble and Obinna both fancy it, but I think the Nigerian has won the discussion...
91 mins - We're going to have three more minutes... Stoke attack, but Walters' cross lobs behind the goal.
90 mins - Into the final minute and Cole is eased out by Huth. The crowd call for something, anything... Webb gives a goal kick.
87 mins - The home crowd are singing and urging their team on. Obinna shoots again and it's blocked. Stoke break and Ben Haim concedes a fairly cynical foul. He is booked.
86 mins - Cole wins a corner. Can the Hammers win this in normal time? The corner is headed clear by Stoke, but Da Costa wins possession back and the ball is worked to Obinna. He cuts inside and shoots, but it's a few yards wide of the left-hand post.
84 mins - GOAL! West Ham deserve that. Barrera takes a pass from Obinna and sends in a superb cross from the left. Parker ghosts in and nods it past Begovic from eight yards.
83 mins - The crowd tonight is 25,304. They deserve some reward in the shape of a goal, and they should have a penalty to watch there as Faubert appears to be fouled by Shawcross. Instead, Webb gives a corner, which it is easily cleared.
82 mins - Da Costa does well to ease out Gudjohnsen and set up a counter-attack. Obinna wins a free-kick and then runs at the Stoke defence. The ball breaks to Noble, who side-foots miles over the top.
80 mins - Parker gets free just outside the box and feeds Cole for a one-two. Cole goes down under a challenge from Shawcross, but Webb again gives nothing. Cole punches the turf in frustration.
79 mins - Noble and Obinna combine before the latter lofts the ball into the path of Faubert. He crosses first-time but it hits a defender and rolls into the arms of Begovic.
77 mins - Delap is the final substitute to appear this evening, replacing Tuncay.
76 mins - Noble drives a fine pass out for Obinna, who knocks it down for Barrera. The winger runs to the edge of the box and crosses left-footed, where Begovic claims above Cole.
75 mins - Obinna has injected some energy into West Ham's play, latching on to Behrami's pass before crossing towards Cole and Barrera. It's just too strong, though, and bounces behind for a goal kick.
73 mins - Begovic makes his first save of the night, flying high to his left to keep out Obinna's stinging shot. Parker picks up the loose ball and runs into the box from the right. He pulls the ball back for Barrera, whose shot hits a defender and is dribbling towards the far corner until Begovic plunges onto it.
72 mins - Boa Morte and McCarthy are the men replaced by Noble and Behrami. Come on West Ham, let's have a comeback...
71 mins - West Ham have a corner which initially comes to nothing. The Hammers keep up the pressure and Faubert crosses from the right. Da Costa wins the header, but it lands on top of the net, rather than in it.
70 mins - McCarthy does well to find Faubert in acres of space down the right, but the full-back elects to cross from deep and only finds the gloves of Begovic.
69 mins - The final throw of the dice is about to be made. Noble and Behrami are ready to come on...
68 mins - We're into the final quarter and West Ham need some inspiration to force an extra half-hour here. Who's going to stand up and be the hero?
66 mins - Barrera's header finds Faubert. The right-back's cross is dangerous and Begovic misses his punch, but it's just too high for Cole and bounces away to safety on the far side.
65 mins - It looks like 4-2-3-1. Parker and Boa Morte will anchor the midfield, with Barrera, McCarthy and Obinna supporting Cole.
64 mins - Obinna is on for Radoslav Kovac. To be fair to the Czech, he's had a decent game. I'll have to see what this means for the formation, but I assume we're going 4-3-3.
63 mins - Victor Obinna is going to be introduced soon.
61 mins - Cole works a throw-in back to Parker, who twists and turns on to his right foot before sending a low shot skidding just wide of the left-hand post. Parker throws his arms on his head in frustration, and I don't blame him!
59 mins - Whelan lifts a delightful pass into the path of Tuncay, who slams a volley towards the near post. Stech athletically punches the ball behind.
58 mins - Another change for Stoke, who replace Jones with Eidur Gudjohnsen.
56 mins - Stoke replace Pennant with Danny Pugh. West Ham keep up the pressure, though, as Barrera's low cross is cleared at the near post by Shawcross.
55 mins - Parker finds Faubert and he tries a near-impossible pass for Barrera. The ball is just too high for the Mexican to control and Begovic gathers.
54 mins - Parker again, combining with Boa Morte before the No13 wins a corner. Barrera to take... The Mexican's corner eludes Begovic and Tomkins dives in and heads the ball against the base of the post on its way behind for a goal kick. Inches....
52 mins - Two moments to talk about within 30 seconds. First, Parker brings the ball forward at pace before being challenge on the edge of the Stoke box. Webb gives nothing. Stoke clear and Walters gets the wrong side of Faubert. The right-back slides in and wins the ball, just. Again, Webb waves play-on.
51 mins - We're six minutes into the second 45 and West Ham have yet to settle. To be fair to the fans in the Sir Trevor Brooking Lower, they are singing away in support of their team.
48 mins - Ben Haim concedes a corner. Pennant trots across to take it from the Stoke right. West Ham have no defender on either post. Pennant takes and although West Ham clear the initial corner, Pennant gets the ball back before laying it into the path of Whelan. The Ireland midfielder shoots and it hits Parker before bouncing behind. The second corner is scrambled clear at the far post.
47 mins - I wouldn't be surprised if we see Mark Noble fairly early in this half. The midfielder is warming up fairly briskly on the sidelines.
46 mins - Cole and McCarthy kick-off the second period.
The two teams are back out on the pitch for the second half. West Ham need to pick up where they left off before the break. For the moment, Stoke only have ten players... Pennant trots out and we're ready to get going again.
Half-time score - West Ham United 0-1 Stoke City
46 mins - Ben Haim cuts inside and finds Cole inside the box. He tries a trick and goes to ground, but nothing is given. Boa Morte keeps up the pressure and his low cross is scrambled behind for a corner. Barrera crosses and Da Costa heads narrowly over before Webb blows for half-time. To be honest, it's a real shame the half had to end, as the Hammers were well on top for the last ten minutes of the 45.
45 mins - Parker finds Barrera, who cuts inside two Stoke defenders on to his left foot. He shoots, but Huth is there to block. We're going to have one more minute.
43 mins - Nice football from the home side. Boa Morte slides a clever ball inside Wilkinson for Cole, who cuts it back towards McCarthy. Unfortunately, the No17 swings his left foot at the ball and misses it completely.
40 mins - Ben Haim does well twice. First, he wins the ball from Pennant and finds Boa Morte. Then, when Boa Morte's cross is cleared, he feeds Cole, who turns his marker and slams a left-foot shot over the top.
39 mins - We're approaching half-time and West Ham are trying to get back into this, but Stoke are defending well.
35 mins - Faubert finds Boa Morte on the opposite touchline with a driven pass. The Portuguese takes on Wilkinson, who does well to concede a throw. West Ham keep up the pressure and McCarthy wants a penalty, but nothing is given by referee Webb.
32 mins - West Ham come forward through Boa Morte, who slides his pass sideways to Barrera. The Mexican shoots and it is deflected wide. Barrera himself takes the corner and Tomkins wins the header, but it flies over the crossbar rather than under it.
30 mins - West Ham break, but Cole sportingly puts the ball out of play for Higginbotham to receive some treatment. The No3 is quickly back on his feet, however, and the game is back underway with a Stoke throw-in.
28 mins - That was a bit of a comedy of errors. Boa Morte concedes possession on the edge of the Stoke box and the visitors clear. Kovac and Da Costa get in each other's way, allowing Walters to break into a bit of space and fire over the top from 25 yards.
26 mins - That's a short backpass from Ben Haim and Stech has to be out like lightning to clear in front of Walters. He did well there, the young goalkeeper.
24 mins - Faubert brings the ball infield and beats two defenders before finding Boa Morte, who goes down. That's not a free-kick, according to Mr Webb, and Stoke clear through Wilkinson.
22 mins - Parker is trying to get the home side going, laying the ball off before charging forward and forcing Wilkinson to concede a throw. Moments later, Parker does well again before shooting from 25 yards. It fails to trouble Begovic, though, as the ball flies over the top.
20 mins - Better play from the hosts. A nice piece of interplay on the right flank ends with Faubert flashing in a cross to the near post where Shawcross heads clear in front of Cole.
19 mins - That could easily have been 0-2. Walters twists and turns on the left before feeding the ball back for Higginbotham to cross. Tuncay gets his head to the ball and flashes it narrowly wide of the target with Stech beaten.
18 mins - Ben Haim defends stoutly against Pennant, who takes exception to the Israeli's attentions and gives him a late nudge. Referee Webb blows for a foul and has a chat with the Stoke No16.
16 mins - Nice play from McCarthy, who holds up the ball before playing a one-two with Boa Morte and heading goalwards, but it's straight at Begovic.
14 mins - Now it is Stoke's turn to have a free-kick in a threatening position as Ben Haim fouls Pennant. The former Liverpool winger picks himself up and will take the set piece. He strikes it low and hits the one-man wall that is Scott Parker.
13 mins - Boa Morte turns neatly away from Whelan before being tripped by Whitehead. Another free-kick in a decent area... Parker lays it short to Barrera, whose left-foot shot hits another West Ham player and flies about a yard over the crossbar. 'Oohs' all round from the supporters.
10 mins - Tuncay ghosts into the penalty area before being held up by Tomkins. Barrera does well to double-up and wins a free-kick from the Turkey forward.
8 mins - The visiting fans are enjoying themselves away to my left, singing a chorus of their own anthem - 'Delilah'. I'm told about 700 have made the trip down from the Potteries this evening.
7 mins - West Ham need to reply quickly. Kovac forces and error and West Ham win a throw by the corner flag. Nothing comes of the chance and Stoke clear their lines.
6 mins - GOAL! How simple was that? Pennant crosses and Jones rises unopposed to head the ball inside the far post.
5 mins - Faubert tries to pick out Barrera, but the Mexican cannot control. Moments later, Tuncay gets in behind Faubert and Kovac tracks back superbly to concede a corner
4 mins - Tomkins launches the ball forward and Cole wins the header. It drops towards McCarthy, who completely misses his kick. Moments later, Parker is fouled inside the Stoke half. The Hammers are slowly building some pressure here.
3 mins - That looked a bit nasty. A bouncing ball saw Scott Parker and Pennant clash heads. Parker gets up and seems to be OK. Pennant needs the physio on, but after a quick check-up, he seems OK.
2 mins - Good defensive work from Boa Morte, who stole the ball from Jones on the edge of the West Ham penalty area before finding McCarthy with his clearance.
1 min - Tomkins launches a long ball forward for McCarthy to flick on. He wins the header, but Huth nips in ahead of Cole to clear to left-back Higginbotham.
7.45pm - Off we go...
7.44pm - Kenwyne Jones and Glenn Whelan will kick-off...
7.42pm - Tonight's reduced ticket prices have enticed a decent crowd along to the Boleyn Ground this evening. Let's hope they can inspire the hosts to what would be a confidence-boosting victory. The mascots shake hands with both captains - Ryan Shawcross and Scott Parker - before having their photograph taken by Steve Bacon. Coin-toss completed, West Ham will attack the Sir Bobby Moore Stand end. Before kick-off, however, the Hammers get together for a huddle.
7.40pm - Just about five minutes to go until kick-off now and we're nearly ready to go. The pitch has been cleared save for a few footballs for the two sets of players to warm up with when they re-enter the field of play. 'Bubbles' starts to play and, seconds later, the two teams emerge from the tunnel...
7.35pm - If you haven't been able to get down to the Boleyn Ground this evening, but have children on half-term, you might want to bring them down to the stadium tomorrow afternoon. Pablo Barrera and Frederic Piquionne will be at the Stadium Store from around 2.45pm on Thursday.
Back to tonight and Hammers great Alan Devonshire is introduced to the crowd. 'Dev' was part of the West Ham side that reached the League Cup final in 1981, when they lost to Liverpool after a replay. Academy Director Tony Carr MBE is also introduced to the crowd to discuss his recent trip to Buckingham Palace for his investiture by HM The Queen.
7.30pm - As I'm sure you all know, the tie has to be settled on the night. If we're all-square at the end of the 90 minutes, we'll play half-an-hour of extra time. If we're still level, then we'll have a penalty shootout. PA announcer Jeremy Nicholas reminds fans that the 1971/72 semi-final between the two sides went to two replays and lasted for seven weeks! Now, penalties might not be the perfect way to settle cup ties, but surely that would be preferable to having the tie decided in mid-December?!
7.25pm - Both sets of players are out on the pitch going through their pre-match exercises. Stoke are doing some sprint work down in front of the East Stand, while West Ham have just completed a keep-ball session. Nearer the Bobby Moore Stand, goalkeeper coach David Coles is working with Marek Stech. The young Czech is working on his handling and distribution up to Robert Green, who is positioned inside the Stoke half. As I finish typing, the Potters finish their routine and head for the away dressing room.
Good evening and welcome to the Boleyn Ground for tonight's Carling Cup fourth-round tie between West Ham United and Stoke City.
The Hammers will be eager to record a morale-boosting victory after seeing their five-match unbeaten run ended by Newcastle United on Saturday. Avram Grant's players will take heart from the 1-1 Barclays Premier League draw they achieved at the Britannia Stadium last month.
Should they prevail, West Ham will reach the last eight of this competition for the first time since 2007/08. Stoke, meanwhile, are looking to qualify for the quarter-finals for the second time in three seasons.
This is the fourth occasion on which the two clubs have met in the League Cup. In 1971/72, it took two replays for Stoke to defeat the Hammers in the semi-finals. However, West Ham gained revenge by gaining second-round victories in 1982/83 and 1990/91.
Team news-wise, Grant has named a strong starting XI. Benni McCarthy is handed his first start of the season, while Julien Faubert, James Tomkins, Tal Ben Haim, Pablo Barrera, Radoslav Kovac, Luis Boa Morte and promising goalkeeper Marek Stech are also handed starting places.
Frank Nouble is among the substitutes after being re-called from his loan spell at Championship side Swansea City earlier this week. He is joined on the bench by Winston Reid, who is closing in on full match-fitness after a spell on the sidelines.
West Ham United: Stech, Faubert, Tomkins, Da Costa, Ben Haim, Barrera, Kovac (Obinna 64), Parker, Boa Morte (Behrami 72), Cole, McCarthy (Noble 72)
Subs not used: Green, Ilunga, Reid, Nouble
Stoke City: Begovic, Wilkinson, Huth, Shawcross, Higginbotham, Pennant (Pugh 56), Whitehead, Whelan, Walters, Tuncay (Delap 77), Jones (Gudjohnsen 58)
Subs not used: Nash, Faye, Tonge, Soares