WYCOMBE WANDERERS v WEST HAM UNITED
PRE-SEASON MATCH
SATURDAY 23 JULY 2011
KICK-OFF: 3PM
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Final score - Wycombe Wanderers 0-0 West Ham United
Sam Allardyce will be satisfied by another good afternoon's work, even if there was not the winning goal we got in Copenhagen last Wednesday. The Hammers next head to Dagenham & Redbridge on Tuesday, when Matt Taylor could make his debut. There were many positives this afternoon, not least the return of Carlton Cole and Pablo Barrera to the starting lineup.
90 mins - We are playing one minute of added time. There are 4,352 fans here and they have enjoyed the game with both sides working hard. There goes the final whistle.
89 mins - A crunching tackle by Brown draws a noisy cheer from the travelling fans.
87 mins - Barrera takes a splended corner and Spence is only inches away from nodding the Hammers in front. He showed great determination to get there which will please the manager.
86 mins - The Hammers are pushing. First Nouble and then Piquionne go for goal. Can they find a winner?
85 mins - Well done Nouble. He held the ball up before playing in Barrera. He in turn found Faubert but the final pass was just a little wayward.
83 mins - Well done Montano. He has got strength to go with his pace. He set the Hammers going and only an offside flag denied Barrera after a neat through-ball from Piquionne.
82 mins - Faubert shows his pace to stop a Wycombe breakaway. He has been energetic throughout. McClure has a go from distance but the dipping volley did not come down in time and smacks against the stand behind.
80 mins - Montano races up the left and crosses. It is too strong though for the waiting Piquionne, who started the move with a lovely raking pass. Wycombe counter but O'Brien and then Green are on hand to deny Gary Waddock's men.
79 mins - Barrera takes it and gets it up and over. In truth, it was no real trouble for Bull who saves. The hosts counter but O'Brien snuffs out the danger.
78 mins - A mazy run by Montano sees him brought down just outside the box. He doesn't lack for confidence and the Hammers have a free-kick 25 yards out.
78 mins - The Hammers are playing a 4-4-2 formation. Nolan and Boa Morte are central, with Montano wide left and Barrera out on the right. Piquionne and Nouble are a formidable presence in midfield.
77 mins - Parker gave the Hammers fans a big thumbs-up as he entered the tunnel. So close there for Nouble with his first touch. He headed just over after a superb dinked cross by Montano.
76 mins - Here comes Frank Nouble to replace Parker. Johnson is coming off and Jordan Ibe is on. Anthony Stewart is on for Sandell. Charles Dunne is on for Donnelly.
74 mins - Piquionne feeds Montano after making space on the right. The Colombian-born youngster cannot connect as well as he would like and the keeper saves.
74 mins - Faubert and Barrera do well on the right and the Frenchman wins a free-kick. Wycombe deal well and counter quickly through Bloomfield. Boa Morte sees out the danger, at least partially, before Faubert tracks back.
72 mins - Betsy surges forward and his cross had alarm bells ringing. Eventually Green claims and calms the situation.
70 mins - Barrera and Faubert combine before the Frenchman picks out Nolan in space. It was not the cleanest of contacts and the No4's effort is tame. The Hammers are looking likely at the moment but the hosts remain a threat on the counter. More changes. Ben Harding is on for Grant. Marvin McCoy is coming on for Danny Foster and the thrid and final change sees Matt McClure replacing Lewis.
68 mins - Tomkins and Ilunga are making way for Jordan Brown and Cristian Montano. O'Brien has gone to centre-back alongside Spence. Faubert has dropped to right-back and it looks like Montano will play wide left with Barrera moving to the right.
67 mins - Well done Ilunga and Barrera again. The move finishes with a half-chance for Piquionne. Wycombe clear and surge up the other end but this time it is Spence who deals with the danger.
66 mins - It is early days of course but Tomkins is playing superbly today. He just made a great interception.
65 mins - Wycombe should be one-up. Grant found space at the back post and met a dropping ball with a superb volley. However, much to Green's relief, the shot was wide.
64 mins - So close there for Piquionne. He met Faubert's initial corner but just could not get the room to shoot for goal. Lots of bright performances out there right now for the visitors.
63 mins - Piquionne wins a foul as he tried to make space on the right wing. Good chance here for the Hammers to put the home goal under pressure.
61 mins - Fantastic play from Faubert from a long ball forward. He tricked two defenders before slipping the ball to Parker. The final shot was deflected just over.
61 mins - That was a good first start for Cole this summer. He was full of running and did a lot of tireless work. The manager praised his commitment to the cause in a pre-match interview and that hour will serve him in good stead.
60 mins - Piquionne is coming on for Cole. Kevin Betsy, Matt Bloomfield and Ben Strevens are on for Beavon, Ainsworth and John Halls.
58 mins - Free-kick to Wycombe in a dangerous position just on the Wycombe right of the penalty area. Donnelly knocks the ball to Sandell but the shot is high and never troubles Green.
56 mins - Boa Morte wins a corner. Barrera takes and picks out Tomkins. His header is blocked and the ball nearly falls for Ilunga to shoot, only for Wycombe to clear.
55 mins - Wycombe cannot handle Ilunga and Barrera's combinations on the left. They look dangerous and are playing barely ten yards behind wherever they are up the flank.
53 mins - Tomkins needed some treatment there after taking a blow to the face as he headed for goal. It was a great chance from the young defender. Frederic Piquionne is warming up for the first time.
52 mns - Lovely passing there between Barrera and Boa Morte carves out an opening. The ball fell to Cole but a last-ditch block forced the shot behind for a corner. Tomkins rose to meet the ball and send it goalwards but Bull clawed it to safety.
51 mins - So nearly a first goal in Hammers colours for the skipper. Cole did well to hold the ball up. He fed Ilunga who crossed deep to Nolan. The ball dropped but it was a difficult one for him to control and the shot flashed over from ten yards.
50 mins - A lovely piece of passing between Parker and Ilunga sets Barrera away. The Mexico winger races into the box after leavng his man for dead but again cannot pick out a team-mate. Tomkins does his job again at the back when Wycombe counter.
49 mins - Ilunga tidies up after a Wycombe break. Green boots the ball forward and Barrera shows electric pace before beating his man. His cross fails to find a Hammers head, though.
48 mins - So close from Cole. He controlled an Ilunga throw, spun and flashed a shot just wide of the goal. Excellent play.
47 mins - Wonderful play by Parker and Nolan see a charge through the middle but the referee stops play for a Boa Morte foul. Ainsworth is then frustrated by Ilunga and concedes a free-kick himself.
46 mins - We are under way again via Parker and Cole, who covered a lot of ground in that first half. It looks like no changes from the manager. The Hammers are kicking towards their own fans in the half in the appropriately named Dreams Stand. The push for promotion begins in just two weeks' time and everyone will be dreaming of an instant return to the Premier League.
HALF-TIME
45 +1 - We are playing one minute of added time. Wycombe attack again through Ainsworth but Green avoids any drama with a comfortable catch. There goes the half-time whistle.
45 mins - Boa Morte does well to deny Ainsworth outside the box. Tomkins has been up against Beavon, the Wycombe striker, and has won the battle almost every time.
44 mins - Wonderful play again from the outstanding Tomkins. Wycombe were threatening in the area but his block did the job. A quick Hammers counter sees Barrera race clear but his cross does not match his earlier good work.
43 mins - Green punts forward. Cole flicks it on and Faubert only just fails to connect in front of Bull. Faubert is then shown a yellow card for a late challenge on Sandell.
41 mins - Boa Morte teases one forward but Parker is flagged for offside. Brown and Nouble finish their warm-up. It looks like they may be half-time replacements.
40 mins - Barrera shows good footwork on the left wing. He crosses and Parker nearly connects with a cheeky back-heel when well placed.
40 mins - Wonderful tackle by O'Brien wins back possession for the Hammers. Allardyce's men are showing the greater hunger at the moment.
39 mins - Barrera takes it and when the ball comes back out to him, the Mexico winger fires over.
38 mins - The game is opening up. Boa Morte surges down the left and feeds Cole but the ball into the England man did not give him a lot of room to turn. The shot is deflected wide. Corner to the Hammers.
37 mins - The Hammers fans have not stopped singing. They pause briefly as Cole finds himself in space to the left of goal but the shot is weak. Bull is able to save without any issues.
35 mins - So close from Parker. He blazed over from about 15 yards after a great knockdown by Cole. Good link-up play there at least.
34 mins - Boa Morte concedes a free-kick deep in the Hammers' own half. The set-piece is over-hit and Green watches it sail behind.
32 mins - West Ham are on top but can they find a goal to match their patient play? Faubert has a chance to head for goal but cannot direct it on target.
30 mins - Lovely play by Barrera and Ilunga work the ball up the left. It ultimately comes to nothing, though. The hosts are working as hard as the Hammers.
28 mins - Corner to Wycombe. Spence conceded it after a slight mis-control by Tomkins. The England U21 man made up for his error with a commanding header away from the flag-kick.
27 mins - Cole again finds room on the left but his cross is headed away by Johnson. Another move 20 seconds later sees Boa Morte cross but Bull is able to collect.
26 mins - Cole gets some space but cannot pick out Barrera coming in from the left wing. Remember highlights and post-match reaction will feature on West Ham TV, which is also playing out full audio commentary today from Adams Park.
24 mins - Faubert has a go again from Cole's knockdown. Wycombe counter quickly but O'Brien is alert to make a saving tackle in the right-back position. Class from Parker leaves Donnelly in a heap. The England midfielder's long ball forward gets Faubert in behind but the Frenchman, despite his best efforts, cannot do anything with the cross.
23 mins - Superb play from Faubert and O'Brien nearly plays in Cole at the near post. A corner to West Ham which Boa Morte takes. It gets to the back post but Johnson is able to clear.
21 mins - Spence leaves Stuart Lewis in a heap with what looked a committed, but fair, challenge. The referee felt otherwise. Wycombe build again and Grant does superbly to kill the ball on the left wing. His ball into the box, however, leaves a lot to be desired. West Ham come away with it again.
20 mins - Tomkins is on top in this game. He was exce2lent in midweek and is staking his claim to Sam Allardyce with every minute he plays..
19 mins - Wycombe are playing some good stuff but Parker is slowly getting a hold of the game. A long ball forward just eludes Cole and Bull dives on the ball.
18 mins - Ainsworth wins a free-kick after his cross was adjudged to be handled by Ilunga as he turned his back on the ball. Scott Donnelly fizzes the ball in but Tomkins is in the right place again. Parker then shows his class with one of his trademark spins away from trouble.
17 mins - Wycombe have sent some men out to warm up as well. Gary Waddock has a good squad here as judged by their successful promotion to League One last season.
15 mins - A hopeful punt forward by Tomkins picks out Cole, but he is flagged for offside just as he looked like he was through on goal.
14 mins - It is pretty much equal at the moment. The home side are getting lots of men behind the ball and trying to play on the counter. Frank Nouble and Jordan Brown are the first Hammers subs out to warm-up.
13 mins - Well done Green. Beavon and Joel Grant combine well on the Wycombe left but the England man is there when the ball is eventually played into the box. Good keeping that.
11 mins - Pablo Barrera - making his first start of the new pre-season campaign - takes a corner from the other side. The ball drops out to Faubert and he fizzes one wide from 20 yards.
10 mins - Good play from Faubert wins a corner. The move began with Tomkins winning a firm challenge in midfield. Boa Morte takes and the ball is hacked over his own bar by Johnson.
9 mins - Cole is getting some close attention here. He will have to work hard for his openings. A quick Wycombe counter sees Sandell cross from the left and Jordan Spence is unable to stop a Beavon flick-on but the ball runs behind.
7 mins - A crossfield ball picks out Gareth Ainsworth at the back post but his header is a tricky one and Green is able to come and claim with ease.
6 mins - Scott Parker makes his first real contribution with a neat bit of play. The home side are dogged in defence though and win it back. A ball is pumped forward towards Green's goal but Tomkins sees out the danger.
5 mins - Cole goes down under pressure from Leon Johnson. Wycombe move the ball forward but an over-hit pass concedes possession to the Hammers deep in their own half.
4 mins - James Tomkins takes a whack in the face but he doesn't need treatment. Herita Ilunga pumps the ball forward for Faubert but Nikki Bull comes to claim in the home goal.
3 min - Julien Faubert advances on the right but his cross is blocked. The ball is worked to the other side but Wycombe manage to see out the danger.
2 min - A long ball from James Tomkins forces Wycombe to concede a corner, with Cole forcing the error. Luis Boa Morte swings the ball in but it is headed clear.
1 min - It took 15 seconds for Nolan to win his first tackle. Wycombe recovered well and Andy Sandell got up the left flank. The full-back crossed but Robert Green was able to claim comfortably.
1 min - We are under way, having just had a big burst of 'Come on you Irons' and then Bubbles from the Dreams Stand away to my left. The Hammers have filled that completely and are in good voice on what is turning into a lovely afternoon. Kevin Nolan looked at every single player just before the start urging full commitment before a word with Carlton Cole. He's up for it.
KICK-OFF
It really is a fantastic setting here with the stadium overlooked by dozens of trees on a hill that stretches behind the Frank Adams Stand. A sizeable crowd is building and the players received a good reception from the travelling support. Carlton Cole was the last off after the warm-up, making sure to pose for every picture requested by the mascots on the pitch.
Sam Allardyce will play a 4-3-3 formation with Luis Boa Morte in midfield with Scott Parker and Kevin Nolan. Pablo Barrera and Julien Faubert will play in support of Carlton Cole, making his first start of the summer. Joey O'Brien, on trial, will play at right-back with Jordan Spence partnering James Tomkins. The manager has rested Winston Reid, Jack Collison and Freddie Sears completely, and dropped Mark Noble - who played 90 minutes in midweek - to the bench.
Wycombe will play with a lone striker, Stuart Beavon will be the main man up front with Scott Donnelly just in behind.
Wycombe Wanderers: Bull, Foster, Sandell, Johnson, Tunnicliffe, Ainsworth (c), Lewis, Halls, Donnelly, Grant, Beavon
Subs: Arnold, Harding, Bloomfield, Betsy, Strevens, McCoy, Stewart, McClure, Harris, Dunne, Ibe
West Ham United: Green, O'Brien, Tomkins, Spence, Ilunga, Faubert, Parker, Nolan (c), Boa Morte, Barrera, Cole
Subs: Boffin, Brown, Noble, Montano, Piquionne, Nouble
Welcome to Adams Park for the latest pre-season friendly involving West Ham United. The Hammers head into the game on a high after the 1-0 win away to Danish champions FC Copenhagen on Wednesday night. Sam Allardyce has a strong matchday squad again, with the numbers boosted by Pablo Barrera and Carlton Cole.
Winston Reid, Jack Collison and midweek match-winner Freddie Sears are all absent from the selection that travelled to Denmark while Abdoulaye Faye and Junior Stanislas are not fit enough to be involved. Ian Hendon, meanwhile, has taken the development squad to Weymouth Town for a friendly.
Saturday's first-team match is followed by a game at Dagenham & Redbridge on Tuesday night before the glamour home warm-up against Real Zaragoza on Saturday week.
Wycombe, who will be in confident mood after gaining promotion to League One last term, last hosted the Hammers in July 2003. Then, as now, West Ham had been relegated from the Premier League, with Wycombe running out 3-1 winners against a visiting side that included David James, Joe Cole, Jermain Defoe and Michael Carrick.
One present-day link between the two clubs comes in the shape of Czech Republic Under-21 goalkeeper Marek Stech, who played one game on loan at Adams Park in March 2009.
The two sides have met just three times in competitive matches previously. In the most recent of those meetings, Tony Cottee and Kenny Brown were on target as the Hammers scored a 2-0 FA Cup third-round victory at Wycombe in January 1995.
Prior to that, West Ham were known as Thames Ironworks FC when they met Wycombe in the Southern League Second Division during the 1898/99 season, winning 4-1 in both matches.