Barclays Premier League
Newcastle United v West Ham United
Saturday 10 January
3pm
Referee: Alan Wiley
Newcastle United: Given, Taylor, Coloccini, Bassong, Jose Enrique, Gutierrez, Guthrie, Geremi ('Zogbia 62), Duff, Owen, Carroll
Subs not used: Harper, Xisco, Kadar, Edgar, LuaLua, Donaldson
Booked: Guthrie
Goals: Owen 19, Carroll 78
West Ham United: Green, Neill, Collins, Upson, Ilunga, Behrami, Parker, Noble (Mullins 86), Collison (Boa Morte 76), Cole, Bellamy (Di Michele 81)
Subs not used: Stech, Faubert, Tristan, Tomkins
Goals: Bellamy 29, Cole 55
Attendance: 47,571
MINUTE BY MINUTE
2.45pm - The atmosphere is growing at St James' Park. It is a cold, clear day in the North West as West Ham United go for a third straight Premier League victory.
2.50pm - Gianfranco Zola's side have returned to the dressing room following a pre-match warm-up on the pitch. Last down the tunnel are Scott Parker and Diego Tristan. Both look fully focussed on getting the three points today.
2.55pm - The ''Blaydon Races' rings out around the stadium. The huge stands are filling up as the 3pm kick-off fast approaches.
2.56pm - Newcastle United's two giant Magpie mascots are playing football on the pitch in front of the dugouts.
2.57pm - The teams are in the tunnel. The two sets of players exchange a few jokes ahead of the big match.
2.58pm - The two sides take to the pitch to the strains of 'Dire Straits' Going Home', the theme to the film 'Local Hero', The tune has been reinstated this season following a campaign by supporters and the band's frontman Mark Knopfler.
2.59pm - Now it is time for the official Premier League music as the two sets of players shake hands on the halfway line.
3.00pm - Referee Alan Wiley does a few last shuttle runs to keep himself warm on what is a cold afternoon. It is not as bitter as it has been in recent days, however, and the pitch looks in good condition.
FIRST HALF
3.01pm - Craig Bellamy gets us under way.
3.03pm - Michael Owen finds Andy Carroll 20 yards out, but his left foot shot is well blocked by James Collins. Valon Behrami clears the danger.
3.06pm - West Ham are knocking the ball around confidently in midfield. A good spell of possession on the edge of the Newcastle penalty area but the visitors just cannot work a clear shooting opportunity.
3.06pm - Lucas Neill fouls Jonas 30 yards from goal. Geremi curls the resulting free-kick straight into Robert Green's arms.
3.07pm - West Ham's 3,000 travelling fans are making plenty of noise high up in the Sir John Hall Stand.
3.09pm - Damien Duff's eighth minute cross is met by Carroll but his header is blocked by James Collins. Home appeals for a penalty are turned down by Wiley.
3.11pm - Craig Bellamy has been caught offside a couple of times. Newcastle are playing a high defensive line, however, and the Welshman should keep making his attacking runs.
3.13pm - A huge let off for the Hammers as Owen rolls a left foot shot against the base of Green's far post following good work by Jonas down the left wing.
3.15pm - The game is really livening up. First, Mark Noble's shot is blocked, then Bellamy's goalbound header from Herita Ilunga's deep cross hits Jose Enrique and bounces clear.
3.16pm - Matthew Upson fouls Owen, but again Geremi can only curl his free-kick straight to Green. The two teams are going at each other as if both believe they can win this game. It is making for an entertaining spectacle.
3.18pm - Green, sporting some fetching white shorts, is out smartly to grab Enrique's cross off the head of the lurking Carroll.
3.20pm - GOAL - Owen gets free of his marker and picks up Enrique's entry pass 25 yards from goal. He turns, Collins slips, and the England striker unleashes a low shot that Green can only get fingertips to on its way into the bottom left-hand corner. NEWCASTLE UNITED 1-0 WEST HAM UNITED
3.21pm - West Ham look to hit back immediately. Collins meets Noble's deep corner, but it is an easy catch for Shay Given.
3.24pm - Danny Guthrie becomes the first player booked by referee Wiley. He receives a yellow card for a late lunge on Parker.
3.26pm - Carroll should make it 2-0. Guthrie's far-post cross finds the striker unmarked, but he can only aim his header into the side netting from six yards. That could be a big miss.
3.28pm - Behrami fouls the dangerous Jonas. Yet again, Geremi's free-kick finds Green's gloves. The man who scored a direct free-kick for Chelsea against the Hammers a couple of seasons ago has not found his range this afternoon.
3.29pm - GOAL - West Ham hit back through that man Bellamy. The striker wins the ball on the edge of the penalty area, exchanges passes with Parker and chips an exquisite finish over the advancing Given. NEWCASTLE UNITED 1-1 WEST HAM UNITED
3.30pm - That really was a superb finish from Bellamy. He kept his composure brilliantly to net against his former club. That is Bellamy's fourth goal in his last four league matches.
3.31pm - Green holds on to Duff's rising drive.
3.33pm - Neill is forced to head Duff's cross out for a corner.
3.34pm - Noble is penalised for pulling back Guthrie. This free-kick is in a dangerous position 25 yards from goal. Geremi's low effort ricochets off Collins and falls to Jonas. His shot flicks off Bellamy and into the side netting. That was close! Green claims Guthrie's resulting corner.
3.36pm - Enrique romps forward, swaps passes with Carroll but can only watch as hit long-range shot flies well over. The miss is welcomed by a rousing rendition of 'Bubbles' from the away supporters.
3.38pm - The threatening clouds that had gathered over St James' Park earlier in the half have started to clear. There is even a hint of blue sky above the stadium. Amazing!
3.39pm - The home supporters are in the mood for a song themselves. 'Black and White Army' rings out from the Gallowgate End.
3.40pm - Guthrie lobs the ball into the box and Carroll goes down under Neill's challenge. Wiley waves away the penalty claims. West Ham's fans respond with another tune, this time the 'Ludek Miklosko' number is their chosen ditty.
3.42pm - This really is an engrossing game. First, Bellamy's cross flashes across the Newcastle penalty area. Less than a minute later, Owen fires well wide from 30 yards.
3.43pm - Noble is denied by a fantastic save by Given. The midfielder beats the Newcastle offside trap and latches on to Neill's long ball. He bears down on goal, only for his low shot to bounce off the goalkeeper's left heel. Bellamy tries to net the loose ball, but the angle is against him and his shot flies into the side netting.
3.46pm - Newcastle hit back yet again. Guthrie's shot flicks off Upson for yet another corner. Guthrie curls a high ball to the far post where Carroll can only nod well wide.
3.47pm - Carlton Cole and Sebastien Bassong both end up on the ground after tangling on the halfway line.
3.48pm - Another fine passing move from the Hammers ends with Cole's deflected shot being gathered by Given. That is the last action of a pulsating 45 minutes as referee Wiley blows for half-time.
HALF-TIME - NEWCASTLE UNITED 1-1 WEST HAM UNITED
SECOND HALF
4.03pm - West Ham's players are back out on the pitch. No sign of Newcastle though.
4.04pm - The 'Blaydon Races' welcomes the home side back out of the tunnel.
4.05pm - And we're off and running again,
4.06pm - Just 20 seconds in and West Ham have a strong penalty claim turned down. Bellamy races on to Noble's chip but appears to be held back by Bassong. The Hammers remain the only Premier League team not to be awarded a spot-kick this season. Replays show Bassong's arm clearly impedes the striker.
4.08pm - With Hull City losing 2-0 at half-time and Fulham's home match against Blackburn Rovers having been postponed, a West Ham winner could take Zola's side into eighth place. Cole curls a powerful shot in but Given is equal to it.
4.09pm - West Ham are all over Newcastle. Ilunga whips in a cross from the left, Cole holds it up but Noble can only poke his shot straight at Given.
4.10pm - Another shooting chance for the Hammers. This time Enrique blocks Noble's effort after good work from Cole.
4.13pm - Fantastic football from West Ham. Ilunga and Bellamy play a neat one-two on the left before Collison runs at the Newcastle defence. His left foot shot is deflected behind. Neill meets Noble's corner but cannot direct his header on target.
4.14pm - GOAL - Geremi fouls Parker 40 yards from the Magpies goal. Newcastle scramble the ball clear but Ilunga plays it back into the box where Cole controls instantly before unleashing an unstoppable left foot volley past Given. It flies in off the inside of the near post. What a goal - it is Cole''s fourth in four matches. NEWCASTLE UNITED 1-2 WEST HAM UNITED
4.16pm - A crowd of 47,571 witnessed that goal.
4.18pm - Newcastle get another corner but Geremi wastes it, curling the ball miles past the far post and out for a goal kick. The Newcastle supporters, who saw Manchester United triumph 5-1 in their last home match, register their displeasure loudly.
4.19pm - The hosts get the message. First, only geat defending by Upson denies Carroll, then Jonas drags his shot wide from 25 yards.
4.20pm - The pace of the game shows no sign of slowing as it passes the hour mark. That really was a fantastic finish by Cole. He gave Given absolutely no chance at all.
4.21pm - Newcastle manager Joe Kinnear makes his first substitution. Geremi is replaced by Frenchman Charles 'Zogbia.
4.23pm - A strange hush has descended over the stadium. The crowd livens up again as Collins dives to block 'Zogbia's shot behind. Guthrie's corner is claimed by Green.
4.25pm - Carroll leaps high to get on the end of Duff''s cross, but it bounces wide.
4.27pm - Behrami brings down Duff just a yard outside the left edge of the West Ham penalty area. Guthrie lays the free-kick back to 'Zogbia but his shot is blocked. Coloccini curls the ball back into the penalty area and Neill slices it into his own net, only for Wiley to whistle for a foul by Steven Taylor on Collins. Neill has a broad smile on his face.
4.29pm - Cole holds the ball up well and finds Behrami, but his deflected shot rolls just too far in front of Bellamy and into the arms of Given.
4.30pm - This is still a game you cannot take your eyes off.
4.31pm - Green readjusts well to tip 'Zogbia's cross over for another Newcastle corner. It eludes everyone again. Duff crosses and Owen's shot is well blocked by Upson.
4.34pm - There are 16 minutes left. Can West Ham hold on to extend their unbeaten run away from home to six matches? If they can, it will be their best top-flight run on their travels in eight years.
4.35pm - Zola makes his first substitution. Jack Collison has worked hard this afternoon and is replaced by Luis Boa Morte for the final 14 minutes. The Portuguese player is welcomed with a song from the travelling supporters.
4.36pm - Noble has moved into the centre of midfield. Boa Morte is out on the left wing.
4.38pm - GOAL - Jonas and Duff combine down the left wing. The Irishman curls in a cross and Carroll rises above Upson to head past Green. It is a fine header, to be fair to the England Under-19 striker. NEWCASTLE UNITED 2-2 WEST HAM UNITED
4.40pm - The goal has brought the home supporters back to life again.
4.41pm - Bellamy is replaced by David Di Michele. The substitution is greeted by loud whistles from the home fans. Di Michele netted twice against Newcastle in September. Can he score a late winner?
4.42pm - Ilunga gets in a toe just in time to deny Owen. Good defending.
4.44pm - Bassong does well. Cole looks like he has the beating of the French defender but he gets back superbly to block the striker's shot out for a corner.
4.45pm - Five minutes left. Both teams look capable of nicking a winner. Who is going to be the hero? Not Mark Noble. He is replaced by Hayden Mullins.
4.47pm - Jonas fires in a low cross and Collins clears well. This game is on a knife-edge.
4.50pm - The home fans are starting to leave as we tick over into the final minute of the 90. Di Michele is fouled wide on the left touchline. Cole is penalised for a foul as Boa Morte curls a free-kick into the penalty area. There will be three minutes of added time.
4.51pm - Collins makes another fine tackle to thwart Owen.
4.52pm - A minute of added time remaining. Can West Ham hold on for a valuable point?
4.53pm - Amazing! Jonas skips past Collins but Upson makes an amazing last-gasp block to divert the ball out for a corner. Just seconds later Owen heads over from close-range.
4.54pm - Alan Wiley blows the final whistle. A point keeps West Ham in tenth place. Upson and Collins march the length of the field to applaud the travelling fans, who are still singing.
4.55pm - That was a superb match. End to end and full of incident. That makes it six Premier League away matches without defeat for the Hammers - their best run since the 2000/01 season.
FULL-TIME - NEWCASTLE UNITED 2-2 WEST HAM UNITED
Team News
Gianfranco Zola made four changes to his West Ham United side for Saturday's Premier League trip to Newcastle United. Captain Lucas Neill, Matthew Upson, Valon Behrami and Scott Parker all returned to the starting lineup.
Julien Faubert, James Tomkins, Luis Boa Morte and Hayden Mullins all dropped to the substitutes bench at St James' Park. Strong competition for places meant Jonathan Spector, Kieron Dyer and Freddie Sears missed out on the matchday squad as the Hammers went for a fourth successive win in all competitions.
Teenage Czech Republic goalkeeper Marek Stech was included among the replacements in a Premier League fixture for the first time after compatriot Jan Lastuvka was ruled out with a minor leg injury.