Barclays Premier League
Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United
White Hart Lane
Saturday 11 April
3pm
Referee: Martin Atkinson
FULL TIME - Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 West Ham United
96 min - I don't know where all this time is coming from, but Modric forces a corner off Stanislas. Surely that will be that... It is. The final whistle goes. West Ham gave it their all, and can still be confident heading to Aston Villa next Saturday. Middlesbrough are 3-1 up against Hull while Arsenal have netted twice late on to beat Wigan 4-1 at the JJB Stadium.
94 min - Stanislas works hard to cut out Lennon's pass to Modric. The teenager has done well again this afternoon, but it looks like West Ham's five-match unbeaten run is going to end unless they can make something from Green's free-kick. The ball is claimed by Gomes. Woodgate is booked, I'm not sure what for though. The supporters thought the game was over!
92 min - Di Michele picks up Stanislas' pass and tricks his marker before trying to curl the ball in with his left foot, only for his shot to hit Woodgate. The visiting fans shout 'Handball' in unison, much to the ironic amusement of the home supporters. Just over a minute to go...
90 min - Noble is the fourth West Ham player to see yellow for a late challenge on Huddlestone that leaves his England Under-21 colleague needing treatment. There will be four added minutes.
89 min - As things stand, West Ham will stay seventh as Wigan are losing to Arsenal.
88 min - Sears gives the ball away to Pavlyuchenko. The Russian feeds Lennon, but Green is out smartly to save with his legs. The loose ball breaks to Keane, but Collins is on hand to clear his shot off the line. Straight up the other end and Gomes saves well from Di Michele before pouncing on the loose ball.
87 min - Teenager Federico Macheda has scored again for Manchester United to put them in front at Sunderland. Can Freddie Sears emulate the Italian?
85 min - Collins goes on a strange run through the centre of midfield before being stopped in his tracks by a combination of Huddlestone and Zokora. Five minutes to go. Can West Ham find an equaliser? Di Michele slips the ball through, but Gomes is out smartly to smother.
84 min - Sears is ready to enter the fray. Steve Clarke hands the requisite form to the fourth official. Who is going to make way? It is Diego Tristan.
82 min - Unbelievable comeback in the offing at Chelsea where Bolton have fought back to 4-3 from 4-0 down! Arsenal are now 2-1 up at Wigan. Meanwhile, Spurs have a free-kick in a promising position 25 yards from goal. Huddlestone is lining it up. The ball hits the wall and flies behind for a corner.
81 min - Tomkins is replaced by Savio. That is purely tactical. Neill goes to right-back and Savio up as part of a three-man forward line alongside Tristan and Di Michele. Sears is sent out to warm-up by manager Zola.
80 min - Spurs go back on the attack and Lennon forces Green into a scrambling save.
79 min - Dyer bursts forward and finds Neill on the right, but his attempted cross is blocked by Lennon.
78 min - Lennon crosses and Pavlyuchenko can only glance the ball across the face of goal. Savio is going to come on for the last ten minutes.
76 min - Dyer gets a sight of goal from Stanislas' pass, but the substitute delays too long and can only drag a weak effort wide of the post. Shame. There is still life in West Ham, though, and while the score remains at 1-0, there is a chance.
74 min - Neill does well to deny Lennon a shooting chance, clearing the ball behind as the winger attempted to latch on to Pavlyuchenko's pass. Modric lofts the corner into the penalty area, but Woodgate can only glance his header wide of the target.
72 min - More goals. Drogba has put Chelsea 4-0 up, Theo Walcott has equalised for Arsenal at Wigan and Portsmouth are level at 2-2 with West Brom. Dyer is playing on the right-wing.
71 min - Boa Morte is the man to make way for Dyer. He receives a pat on the head from Zola on his way to the bench.
70 min - 20 minutes to go and Zola is going to make his first change. Dyer is going to come on. The manager has a chat with the England man.
68 min - Spurs' goal has given them a real boost. Zokora, who has never scored for the club, strides forward and lets fly from 25 yards, but the ball goes wide.
67 min - Goals all over the place in the Premier League. Chelsea are 3-0 up against Bolton while West Brom have come from behind to lead 2-1 at Portsmouth. Spurs come close to a second. Assou-Ekotto finds Modric, but the midfielder's shot is blocked by Pavlyuchenko.
65 min - GOAL! Modric feeds Pavlyuchenko inside the penalty area and the Russian holds off Collins before clipping the ball into Green's far corner. West Ham have it all to do now.
64 min - If West Ham avoid defeat today, they would extend their Premier League unbeaten run to six matches. Green does his bit to aid that by parrying Huddlestone's long-range effort.
62 min - Sunderland have drawn level against Manchester United through Kenwyne Jones. Back here in north London, Di Michele is booked for bringing down Lennon.
61 min - Good play by Huddlestone hands Keane a shooting chance but Tomkins is there to block. The England Under-20 man keeps his balance to block Assou-Ekotto's follow-up effort. The 20-year-old has not looked out of place at right-back today. Now it's time for Dyer, Payne and Sears to have a run on the sidelines.
60 min - 'Gala, Savio and Walter Lopez are all warming up on the touchline as we pass the hour-mark.
57 min - Neill is in the book too now after catching Modric in the chest with a flailing arm. Huddlestone curls the free-kick into the box where Woodgate flicks on for Pavlyuchenko, but the ball lands in Green's arms. Seconds later, Woodgate's slip lets in Di Michele, but the on-loan Torino man can only shoot straight against Gomes' legs. That was a fantastic chance...
56 min - Zokora is booked for a nasty lunge on Neill. Not a good tackle, that. Pavlyuchenko is on for Bent.
55 min - Spurs are going to bring on Roman Pavlyuchenko. No sign of any West Ham substitutes warming-up just yet.
53 min - Superb by Noble, who has been good today. He runs at the home defence and plays a neat one-two with Stanislas before the ball is cleared by King. Better from West Ham. 2-0 to Chelsea. Didier Drogba.
52 min - Another corner for Spurs. Lennon takes this time, King heads the ball straight up into the air and Green claims.
51 min - Zokora and Modric combine before the Croat's attempted through ball to Bent is deflected behind by Collins. Modric's corner is hacked clear.
50 min - Tristan slaloms past three challenges. Boa Morte finds Tomkins wide on the right, but his cross is too high and is claimed by Gomes.
49 min - Spurs are cranking up the pressure again.
47 min - There are 35,969 fans here today. They're not exactly being treated to a classic so far, but there is still time...
46 min - Spurs get us underway again. There have been a Premier League-low 25 goals in 15 games at White Hart Lane this season. Let's hope that record is not extended this afternoon.
In all the excitement, I forgot to mention that Middlesbrough had re-taken the lead against Hull. Matthew Bates, I apologise! Both sets of substitutes are out on the pitch during the interval.
Here come the two teams for the second half...
Spurs are making a change. Ivory Coast World Cup midfielder Didier Zokora is on for Jermaine Jenas.
HALF-TIME - Tottenham Hotspur 0-0 West Ham United
46 min - That was the kiss of death for Boa Morte as he is booked for a foul on Modric. It's in a dangerous position too, 25 yards out on the left wing. The Croatian takes the free-kick and Ilunga hacks it clear.
45 min - Boa Morte has done well so far but Noble has been West Ham's star performer so far. There are going to be two added minutes. Chelsea have gone a goal up against Bolton at Stamford Bridge.
43 min - Portsmouth have done their survival hopes the power of good by going a goal up against West Bromwich Albion. Coventry are now 4-0 down at Plymouth.
42 min - West Ham keep the ball for well over a minute. They appear to have weathered the storm and are looking much more confident in possession. Unfortunately, a promising attack ends with Ilunga poking the ball out of play following a misunderstanding with Di Michele.
40 min - Corluka clips the ball forwards to Huddlestone and the giant England Under-21 man controls on his thigh before firing a rising volley a few yards wide of the target.
39 min - A nice piece of interplay from West Ham leads to Tomkins curling a cross into the penalty area, but Gomes is out quickly to catch the ball in front of the on-rushing Stanislas.
37 min - Keane gives the ball away inside the West Ham box and the visitors break at lightning pace. Noble finds Di Michele, but his shot is deflected behind by Woodgate. Noble takes the resulting corner, but Tomkins can only glance his header well wide of the target.
35 min - Jenas flattens Di Michele with a challenge. Neill floats the ball into the box and it falls to Di Michele, who lashes a volley goalwards. Gomes makes a slight hash of saving it, then Assou-Ekotto slips over as he tries to clear the ball. Eventually, the French full-back hits it against the Italian forward and the fun ends with a Spurs goal kick.
34 min - Not a good day to be a Coventry City fan. Tottenham's 1987 FA Cup final vanquishers are 3-0 down at Plymouth Argyle already.
33 min - Tottenham have enjoyed 64 per cent of the possession so far, which is no surprise. Their latest attack nearly sees the deadlock broken, but Bent can only head Assou-Ekotto's cross wide of the far post from eight yards.
31 min - We're past the half-hour mark and West Ham are holding firm. Huddlestone stings Green's palms with a skidding 25-yarder, but the ball appeared to be going wide. Seconds later, Green is called into action again to scoop aside Keane's bouncing volley. The England man completes a fine passage of play by claiming Modric's corner.
28 min - Boa Morte needs treatment after a nasty-looking clash with Gomes. The Portuguese continued playing for a minute or so after the coming together before falling to his knees inside the West Ham half. Physio George Cooper is on to treat the winger. Gomes also receives some running repairs. After a minute or so, Boa Morte is back on his feet.
26 min - Corluka goes down under a challenge from Di Michele inside the penalty area but again Atkinson waves away the hosts' appeals for a spot-kick.
25 min - Following Liverpool's 4-0 win over Blackburn in the lunchtime kick-off, Manchester United were knocked off the top of the table. Not for long, maybe, as Paul Scholes has put the Red Devils a goal up at Sunderland. Bad news for the Hammers elsewhere as former Spurs striker Mido has put Wigan Athletic a goal up against Arsenal.
24 min - Superb football from Bent, Modric and Corluka releases Keane, but his shot is wayward. West Ham are not exactly holding on, but they could do with seeing a bit more of the ball to relieve the pressure on Green's goal.
22 min - West Ham's fans shout 'Handball' every time someone touches the ball, much to the amusement of everyone inside White Hart Lane. Collins heads the ball out for a corner, which is easily cleared.
21 min - Another good piece of build-up play ends with Lennon forcing a corner off Stanislas. Lennon crosses and Keane volleys the ball into the ground. It bounces up and hits Tomkins on the arm, but referee Atkinson waves away Keane's penalty claims. That certainly wasn't deliberate.
19 min - Modric jinks past Tomkins but his cross is headed clear by Herita Ilunga from inside his own six-yard box. Spurs are keeping the ball much better than the visitors, but they are not creating much. West Ham look quite comfortable defensively. but they are not keeping possession as well as Zola would like.
18 min - Zola is in animated discussion with Steve Clarke. I wonder what plans the pair are putting together to stifle Spurs?
17 min - Modric takes the corner and James Collins heads the ball powerfully clear. It drops to Huddlestone, who controls on his chest but can only screw a left-foot volley well wide.
16 min - Keane is dropping deep regularly to pick up possession. He is a real livewire. Huddlestone wins the first corner of the game off Tomkins.
13 min - Noble is starting to control the game in central midfield. He is finding space and using the ball well. One pass picks out Boa Morte's run, but Jonathan Woodgate snuffs out the danger. Boa Morte and Stanislas are switching wings regularly. That will keep Spurs' full-backs on their toes.
10 min - Di Michele lashes Stanislas' deep cross back across the face of goal and out for a throw-in. No goals here but two already at the Riverside Stadium, where Middlesbrough and Hull City are drawing 1-1.
9 min - Modric tricks his way past Tomkins before being baulked by Luis Boa Morte. Spurs have a free-kick in a dangerous position 35 yards from goal near the left touchline. Modric takes but Green rises highest to claim the ball confidently.
8 min - The greasy surface is really helping both sets of players fizz the ball around. For all the pretty football, though, neither team has created a clear-cut chance as yet.
6 min - You get the feeling this is going to be a really attractive game to watch. Both teams are clearly eager to get the ball down and play. Bent nearly profits from a spate of penalty area pinball but the alert Green hacks the ball clear.
5 min - The atmosphere is crackling here, as you would expect. Lucas Neill and Noble combine nicely in midfield but the move comes to nothing.
3 min - Spurs are knocking the ball around confidently. West Ham have hardly had a touch so far. Corluka feeds Aaron Lennon, but the England winger's shot is wild and woeful.
1 min - Spurs are first to show. Modric tries to play in Darren Bent, but the ball skips out for a goal kick.
3pm - Spurs' players go into a huddle. West Ham will kick-off attacking the Paxton Road end.
2.59pm - Zola shakes hands with opposite number and former Hammers manager Harry Redknapp. Both are smiling broadly, but who will be the happier of the two come 5pm?
2.58pm - The two sets of players shake hands. Do not be mistaken, though, this is going to be a keenly-contested London derby.
2.56pm - West Ham's substitutes have taken their places on the away bench - or should that be seats. These dugouts aren't what they used to be. No chance of banging your head on a seat that looks like it's been taken out of a rally car! Here come the teams...
2.54pm - The stands are filling up as kick-off fast approaches. West Ham are seeking their first victory here since Marc Keller netted the winner in a 2-1 victory in April 1999. Since then, Spurs are unbeaten in eight matches at home to the Hammers, seven in the Premier League and one in the League Cup.
2.52pm - The travelling fans, all 3,000 of them, are in fine voice as always. A stirring rendition of 'Bubbles' rings around White Hart Lane.
2.50pm - England Under-21 coach Stuart Pearce is here. The former Hammers defender will no doubt be running the rule over Stanislas, Noble and the promising James Tomkins, who has been in superb form in recent weeks.
2.48pm - West Ham's players are heading for the away dressing room. Junior Stanislas, who will be hoping to build on his goalscoring full debut againt Sunderland a week ago, is the first down the tunnel, followed closely by David Di Michele and Upson. Kovac gives Mark Noble a supportive pat on the head as he trots off the pitch.
2.45pm - A pair of West Ham defenders are reaching significant milestones this afternoon. James Collins is making his 50th Premier League appearance, all for the Hammers. Matthew Upson is making his 200th Premier League appearance, having played for Arsenal, Birmingham City and West Ham in the top-flight.
2.40pm - West Ham's management team are watching the pre-match preparations from the touchline. Gianfranco Zola is in discussion with Gianluca Nani, while the injured Radoslav Kovac, who has a thigh problem, is also there,
2.35pm - One of West Ham's substitutes today is Bondz 'Gala. Should the teenage defender get on to the pitch, he would become the ninth Academy graduate to appear for the Hammers this term. 'Gala has been captaining the reserve team in recent weeks and has grown in stature under the tutelage of Steve Clarke and Alex Dyer.
2.30pm - West Ham United's players have just gone through a series of stretches on the pitch at White Hart Lane. They have now broken into a game of five-a-side. It's threatening to rain here in north London, but for now it is still dry.
West Ham United manager Gianfranco Zola made one enforced change to the team that beat Sunderland 2-0 a week ago. Jonathan Spector was ruled out with concussion, with James Collins returning at the heart of the defence. James Tomkins switched to right-back, with Lucas Neill continuing in a defensive midfield role.
Tottenham were without the suspended Wilson Palacios, who was sent-off at Blackburn Rovers a week ago, with Tom Huddlestone deputising.
Tottenham Hotspur: Gomes, Corluka, Woodgate, King, Assou-Ekotto, Lennon, Huddlestone, Jenas (Zokora 46), Modric, Bent (Pavlyuchenko 56), Keane
Subs not used: Cudicini, Bale, Bentley, Dawson, Chimbonda.
West Ham United: Green, Collins, Tomkins (Nsereko 81), Upson, Ilunga, Stanislas, Neill, Noble, Boa Morte (Dyer 71), Tristan (Sears 85), Di Michele
Subs not used: Lastuvka, Lopez, Payne, 'Gala.