EVERTON v WEST HAM UNITED
BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE
SATURDAY 22 JANUARY 2011
KICK-OFF: 3PM
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Final score - Everton 2-2 West Ham United
It's all over. So near but so far for the Hammers. They will take great heart, though, for Wednesday night's Carling Cup semi-final second leg at Birmingham City. They may be without Victor Obinna and Frederic Piquionne but will hope to have Carlton Cole back. If the Hammers can draw or win, they will be through to a first Wembley final in 30 years.
93min - Into the last minute of added time now. Noble has a go from range just 30 seconds after Arteta had done the same at the other end.
91min - GOAL! - Fellaini drills in after another Everton cross is not cleared. Heartbreak for the Hammers.
91min - Sears is off and Winston Reid is on.
86min - That is two strikers suspended for midweek, now. Victor Obinna will already miss the game after his red card in the first leg.
85min - GOAL! - Piquionne scores and is then sent-off for celebrating. He will miss the Carling Cup semi-final on Wednesday. What a goal it was. Parker fed the ball out wide with a delightful flick. Bridge picked it up and crossed superbly for the Frenchman to head in..
84min - Saha forces a brilliant save from Green. Coleman follows up and should score but puts his side-foot volley over the bar. Up the other end and Spector and Parker do well to burst into the box. Everton make a last-gasp clearance.
83min - The linesman has seen something off the ball. Yellow card for Piquionne.
81min - Noble takes it and fires high and wide. Hines is coming off and Freddie Sears is going to get ten minutes or so.
80min - Spector is fouled on the edge of the area. Decent free-kick chance coming up for the Hammers.
78min - The home side are well on top. Coleman gets a chance to shoot from 20 yards but cannot keep it down. Green was worried.
77min - GOAL! - Everton equalise through Bilyaletdinov. The No7 pounces on Piquionne's latest clearance to the edge of the box and lashes in past Green. Nothing the keeper could do about that.
76min - Piquionne rises highest to head clear in the area. The No30 has won everything from a defensive point of view. Everton win a corner after Spector had to put the ball behind. Piquionne clears again.
74min - Outstanding reading of the play from Boa Morte again. He stops an Everton charge before the Hammers' own surge finishes with a tame Noble shot after he cut in from the wing. Up the other end and Spector clears just as Everton threaten.
72min - The Hammers are tiring but so are Everton. Saha nearly latches on to a ball into the danger area only for Piquionne to get back in and clear. Tomkins then does well to head over another fizzed ball into the box. Resolute defending there from front to back.
69min - The Russian is on for Anichebe.
68min - Boa Morte is working so hard. He snuffs out the danger and sets the Hammers away again. Can the visitors find the crucial second. Bridge does his best with a run and cross-shot before Spector plays it from the other side. Hines gets in front of his marker but cannot direct his shot on target.
66min - It looks like Everton are preparing to bring on Diniyar Bilyaletdinov. Upson gets up well first to deny Saha. Solid defending.
65min - Dynamic play from Parker sees him win a corner. The flag-kick comes to nothing though and the home side are able to regroup.
63min - Lovely breakaway there involving Spector and Parker finishes with the latter having a go from distance. The shot is straight at Howard and he claims with ease.
60min - Another good intervention from Bridge sees out the danger. The Hammers new recruit is having a decent afternoon.
59min - Bridge does well to head clear after Osman had sent in a lovely deep cross. Coleman was lurking.
58min - Hines goes down in the area under pressure from Baines. No penalty but the Everton defender was riding his luck.
57min - Coleman heads over from Baines' arc-ing free-kick. It was a good chance that. Up the other end of the pitch and a half-chance falls to Spector. He lashes it just over after the ball had rolled along the edge of the box.
55min - Avram Grant is frantically barking out instructions to his players. The Hammers have been second best this half but the home fans have still had relatively little to get excited about.
53min - Home shout for a penalty. Anichebe went down under pressure from Upson but referee Walton waves play on.
51min - Arteta gets a chance to play in another corner. Piquionne shows his defensive strength again with a firm header clear. The Toffees are on top.
46min - Everton have made a change at the break, with Louis Saha on in place of Beckford.
The half-time whistle blows
48 mins - We're into the third added minute and Everton are attacking. A cross from the left from Osman bounces out for a goal kick.
46 mins - We'll have two added minutes. Tomkins is OK to continue.
45 mins - Parker has the physio on, but is OK after a quick check-up. The game re-starts and Neville launches a high ball towards the West Ham box. Tomkins rises above Anichebe and wins the header, but falls awkwardly.
43 mins - A hopeful punt is mis-judged by Upson and Anichebe seizes possession and wins a corner. Piquionne heads clear and Hines and Parker lead the charge before Boa Morte loses out.
42 mins - Tomkins and Faubert do brilliantly to halt Anichebe. Faubert finds Noble, who is felled by Fellaini. Booking for the Belgian.
41 mins - Boa Morte has the ball in the net from Piquionne's low cross, but he's offside.
38 mins - That was SO close. Boa Morte crosses and Noble lets the ball run to Spector. He crosses first-time and Piquionne does everything right to beat Heitinga in the air. He heads powerfully down and the ball thuds against the base of the post, rolls across the goal-line and around the other post. Goal kick, somehow.
38 mins - Noble and Parker combine well in midfield following good work by Faubert and Piquionne. Parker stabs the ball through to Hines, but the No26 is offside.
37 mins - Hines holds the ball up and is brought down by Neville. This time the free-kick is given.
35 mins - Neville crosses and Upson throws himself in front of the ball before Spector blocks an Osman shot and Faubert wins a goal kick. Everton pushing for an equaliser.
33 mins - Hines is carrying a bit of a knock. He's been caught a couple of times by Everton players and is hobbling a bit. Sears, Nouble and Gabbidon are warming up on the touchline.
31 mins - A moment of controversy as Bridge makes his way into the box and is clipped by Neville. Everton clear and Parker brings down Arteta and is booked. Replays show Neville definitely didn't get the ball, but referee Walton gave nothing.
30 mins - That is Spector's fourth goal of the season and first-ever Barclays Premier League strike.
28 mins - Parker nips in and plays the ball to Piquionne. Spector runs on the over-lap, but the No30 instead tries to chip Howard from 20 yards. The American claims the ball above his head as he back-pedals.
26 mins - GOAL! Spector! Again! Noble releases Boa Morte in behind Neville. He draws Howard and pulls the ball back to Spector, who slides in to finish superbly from 12 yards.
26 mins - Upson tries to flick the ball past Coleman but loses it. Coleman romps into the box and is hounded out by Tomkins.
25 mins - Neville plays the ball along the line to Arteta, who is barged over by Bridge. Arteta curls the ball over and Piquionne heads clear again.
24 mins - The ball drops to Distin, whose shot is blocked by Upson. The ball then loops high in the air and is claimed by Green.
23 mins - Arteta's corner clears everyone and is retrieved by Coleman. Noble slides in and is unlucky to concede another corner.
22 mins - Hines loses the ball to Arteta and then fouls Osman as he tracks back. Baines will send this free-kick over from the left. Piquionne does well to head over his own crossbar.
21 mins - West Ham have lost their early impetus. Piquionne is challenged by Neville and Upson slides in and brings down Beckford. The free-kick is headed out for a throw by Tomkins.
18 mins - Parker and Fellaini clash before Upson takes over and slips the ball into Spector. The US international slides it through to Hines but is just over-hit. Everton switch the play and after a Toffees surge, Tomkins makes a saving tackle to deny Beckford. Mikel Arteta had opened up the visitors with a lovely pass.
17 mins - Upson concedes a corner. Baines takes it but Boa Morte heads clear under the bar, just as referee Walton blows for an infringement.
16 mins - The Hammers are on top and Parker wastes a chance to set Piquionne free. The Hammers No8 over-hit his through-ball, allowing the grateful Tim Howard to claim.
15 mins - Another chance for Piqiuonne. The ball is played into the middle by Hines and the French striker got their first, only to flash his effort over the bar. Decent opportunity that.
11 mins - Boa Morte is harshly penalised for handball and Arteta has a chance to deliver from 40 yards out. The Spaniard curls the free-kick into the box and Upson stoops to head clear. Everton come again and Upson and Spector are able to scramble the ball clear after Fellaini had beaten Tomkins and crossed low.
10 mins - Bridge picks out the head of Piquionne, but his flick-on finds Hines three yards offside. The home fans are silent. I'm not sure they're very impressed with their team at the moment.
7 mins - West Ham are doing well here. Everton fail to clear their lines and Parker finds Noble on the edge of the box. He turns and lobs the ball over Howard and just over the crossbar. Close again.
6 mins - Upson nicks the ball and feeds Parker. The No8 spins and picks out Spector, who passes on to Piquionne. He runs at Distin again and slams a rising shot a couple of yards over the top from the angle. 'Ooohs' from the visiting supporters, who have not stopped singing since kick-off.
5 mins - Boa Morte is not giving Fellaini any peace whatsoever. He gets a toe in again, but Heitinga is there to pick up the loose ball.
4 mins - Boa Morte out-muscles Fellaini before Parker finds Hines. He is crowded out but the ball falls to Piquionne. He tries to round Distin, but the centre-back sticks to his task and blocks his fellow Frenchman's shot.
2 mins - Arteta swings the ball over and Green collects. West Ham go forward and enjoy some possession down their right with Spector and Faubert. Piquionne lays the ball back to Upson but his attempted pass to Hines goes out for a throw.
1 min - And the game has started... Seconds in, Tomkins brings down Beckford. Baines swings the ball in and Piquionne heads out for a corner.
3pm - Everton will kick-off shooting towards the Park End. Arteta and Beckford will get us underway in a few seconds...
2.57pm - The 'Z-Cars' theme welcomes the two sides on to the pitch, with referee Peter Walton leading the players out. West Ham are in their change strip of white shirts, light blue shorts and light blue socks.
2.55pm - There are quite a few empty seats in the stadium this afternoon, which is a bit of a shame. However, the West Ham supporters have turned out in force as usual.
2.50pm - More good news from elsewhere as 19th-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers have lost 3-0 at home to Liverpool, with Fernando Torres scoring twice.
2.45pm - The Toffee Girl is doing here thing, throwing sweets to the supporters on her way around the pitch surround. She is being helped by a man-size elephant. It makes for an interesting sight. Talking of interesting sights, Jonathan Spector is sporting a new crew-cut hair-style today. Both sets of teams have just left the pitch and are back in their respective dressing rooms. I'm afraid to say that the weather forecast for sunny intervals has turned out to be incorrect. It's cold, grey and rather dreary here at Goodison Park.
2.35pm - The two sets of players are out warming up on the pitch in front of me. The Hammers starting XI are going through a game of keep-ball, while goalkeeper coach David Coles and back-up stopper Ruud Boffin are working Robert Green. Good news from Little Heath, where the U18s bounced back from their FA Youth Cup exit to defeat Portsmouth 3-2. The sixth successive FA Premier Academy League victory was made possible by two goals in the final five minutes from Robert Hall and Blair Turgott. A full report and reaction will appear on whufc.com soon.
Good afternoon and welcome to Goodison Park for today's Barclays Premier League fixture between Everton and West Ham United.
The Hammers are seeking their second away league win of the season and third in all competitions, having secured successes at Sunderland in the Carling Cup and Fulham in the Barclays Premier League.
Everton, meanwhile, are looking to build on a three-match unbeaten run that has seen them defeat Tottenham Hotspur and draw at Liverpool in the league and score a 5-1 victory at Scunthorpe United in the FA Cup third round.
The two sides played out a 1-1 draw in the reverse fixture at the Boleyn Ground on 28 December 2010.
West Ham have failed to win on their last four visits to Goodison Park, but did secure a morale-boosting 2-2 draw on Easter Sunday 2010, when Ilan scored with an 87th-minute diving header to snatch a point. The Hammers' biggest win on the blue side of Stanley Park came on 10 April 1929, when Vivian Gibbins scored a hat-trick in a 4-0 away victory.
Team news-wise, manager Avram Grant has made three changes to the side beaten 3-0 at home by Arsenal last weekend. Fit-again Scott Parker, Luis Boa Morte and Frederic Piquionne replace Radoslav Kovac, Freddie Sears and Carlton Cole. Cole failed a fitness test on Friday.
Everton name an unchanged side from the XI that drew 2-2 at Liverpool in the Merseyside derby last Sunday, meaning Jermaine Beckford partners Victor Anichebe up front and Dutchman Johnny Heitinga plays at centre-back.
Everton: Howard, Neville, Distin, Heitinga, Baines, Coleman, Fellaini, Osman, Arteta, Anichebe, Beckford
Subs: Mucha, Hibbert, Jagielka, Rodwell, Bilyaletdinov, Gueye, Saha
West Ham United: Green, Faubert, Tomkins, Upson, Bridge, Spector, Parker, Noble, Boa Morte, Hines, Piquionne
Subs: Boffin, Reid, Gabbidon, Barrera, Sears, McCarthy, Nouble