The team lined up as
Blayney
El-Abd Butters Virgo Harding
Reid Carpenter Oatway Hammond
Knight McPhee
Robinson, Hart, Mayo, Jones and Shaaban on the bench.
No place for McCammon (I agree on that decision) and surprisingly no place for Nicolas (is he injured or just dropped?). Zamora started on the bench for West Ham.
As soon as the game kicked off we looked nervous. West Ham struggled to get out of cruise gear, but when they did they cut us apart.
Sherringham may be old and slow but he can still play a deadly ball. West Ham took the lead after Virgo and El-Abd went for the same man, he got his cross in and the smallest bloke on the pitch, Rio-Coker, nodded in, unmarked and un challenged.
Less than 10 minutes gone and we now faced a real struggle. We battled on and started to get into the game. It was 0-1 at half time but I saw enough to be confident we would give it a go second half.
Not long after half time Hart was on for El-Abd and Reid dropped back to right back, this livened the game up with Hart and Reid pushing forward down the right.
Carpenter had a couple of long range efforts and Leon pulled a ball across goal but there was nobody lurking. McPhee did get on the end of one low cross but he pulled the ball wide of the goal.
After 54 minutes, Hart broke free on the right, put in a superb cross which Hammond headed home. We were still up on our feet celebrating as the game resumed, a couple of quick passes and Harewood was free between Butters and Virgo and coolly pushed the ball over the on coming Blayney to immediately make it 1-2!
I thought that was it.
Harewood should have finished the game when he had a simple free header to make it 1-3 but luckily for us went for a spectacular hooked goal, only to put the ball well over the bar.
The 90 minutes was closing in when once again Hammond headed in the equaliser. I have no idea how it was set up, but who cares!
2-2.
West Ham immediately went on the counter and Harewood twice got the ball in close to goal, but he was unable to turn Butters and they came to nothing.
We had once chance in the 94th minute but we could not force the ball in!
Roll on Saturday, I hate this wait between matches when so much can still happen!
Mark R
Blayney - 5 wasn't his usual commanding self, a bit slow for both goals (or am I being harsh?)
El-Abd - 6 solid return to right back
Butters - 6 tough battle all day with Harewood, Sherringham etc
Virgo - 5 looked slow, clattered BZ once or twice towards the end
Harding - 7 good match, looked more confident and determined
Reid - 6 pushed forward well, continued to attack even when pushed to right back
Oatway - 5 battled hard, but was out played by the West Ham midfield
Carpenter - 6 many long range shots, much better game than at Burnley
Hammond - 8 MOTM for the 2 goals. Got himself forward a lot, great potential
McPhee - 5 failed to hold up the ball, looked better when Robinson came on
Knight - 7 battled and ran and tried to set up many attacks. Still no luck in front of goal
Hart - 7 best game for a long time when he came on - ran at players and never gave up
Robinson - 6 worried the West Ham defence a couple of times, good option for the bench
Ps
Great moment in the game was when Sherringham was ready to be subbed he was off and sitting on the bench. It was at least 4 minutes until BZ was ready to come on!
Was Sherringham injured or just knackered???