Barclays Premier League
Blackburn Rovers v West Ham United
Ewood Park
Saturday 21 March
3pm
Referee: Chris Foy
WHUTV - LIVE COMMENTARY, ACTION AND REACTION I MATCH REPORT
Final score - Blackburn Rovers 1-1 West Ham United
Full time - And it's all over at Ewood Park. Another point gained in the hunt for Europe and a superb defensive showing from Zola's side. Central defenders Neill and Tomkins deserve special mention as I lost count of the number of blocks the pair put in. After the international break, the Hammers can look forward to a home game with Sunderland as the chase for a place in the UEFA Europa League next season goes on.
93 min - There is still time for a debut as Josh Payne comes on in place of Tristan.
90 min - Parker becomes the first West Ham player to be booked after catching Samba late. Three more minutes will be played here.....
89 min - Well not from this. As Noble's corner is cleared. Will there be one more chance?
88 min - The visitors are looking the most likely to score here as Dyer bursts down the left and forces a corner. Can the away side sneak a late winner?
84 min - Dyer goes down in the area after chasing a long ball through and screams for a penalty. Straight after, Mokoena is booked for a late tackle on Tristan.
83 min - It looks as though Dyer is going to play up front with Tristan. Will the England international's pace cause enough problems to force a late winner?
82 min - Dyer comes on to a huge cheer from the travelling support. Di Michele is the man to come off after another tireless afternoon's work.
79 min - First change of the afternoon for the Hammers as Boa Morte is taken off in place of Walter Lopez. Kieron Dyer is also getting ready on the touchline.
76 min - The biggest cheer of the afternoon so far as the referee takes a tumble. The Hammers do not hold back though and quick passing move sees the ball worked to Tristan, who beats one man before blazing well over.
71 min - Tomkins is having another blinder. The 19-year-old seems to be getting better and better every much. And, right on cue. the No30 throws himself in the way of another Roberts shot.
68 min - Rovers are pressing hard now but so far the Hammers have stayed strong. There have been a few half-hearted appeals for a penalty, all of which Mr Foy has waved away.
63 min - The home side have their second goal of the day ruled out and once again it is Diouf. The forward had prodded home another rebound after Green's superb save from a Robert's header, only for Foy to correctly rule it out for offside.
61 min - There are 21,672 fans at Ewood today and they are certainly making themselves heard. At the same time on the touchline, substitutes Dyer, Sears and Stanislas are warming up. Will we be seeing any of them soon?
60 min - After their initial burst after the interval, the home side have lost some of their momentum and the Hammers are clawing their way back into the game.
55 min - We have got quite an atmosphere here now. The away fans are outnumbered, but are still matching their home support. 'Come on you Irons' is their choice of song at the moment. Can their team respond?
53 min - The goal has given the home side a lift and Pedersen fires in another shot, which Spector gets in the way of for another corner.
50 min - GOAL! Andrews gets Rovers back on level terms. The substitute rifles in a shot from the right-hand side of the area that flies past Green. Game on.
48 min - Tristan goes on a mazy run on the left that takes him past three players, but just as he is about to shoot a Blackburn boot stops him in his tracks.
46 min - We're underway and the home side are the first to attack. A long throw from the left from Pedersen is headed away strongly by Neill. A solid start from the West Ham captain.
The teams are out for the second half and Blackburn have made one change. Andre Ooijer has left the field and Ireland international Keith Andrews is on to replace him.
Half-time - Great first half from West Ham. They have scored a great goal and fought for every ball. Blackburn have tried their best but Green is yet to be tested. Let us just hope it stays that way for the next 45 minutes.
45 min - One minute of added time to be played here as Boa Morte and Chris Samba have a quick handbag session after they battle for a loose ball.
43 min - Corner to Rovers is easily cleared by Tristan, who already has an assist to his name on his full debut for West Ham.
41 min - Considering the changes made to the team, West Ham have been superb thus far. Neill needs special mention on his return to Ewood Park as he has been superb alongside Tomkins in the heart of the Hammers' defence.
39 min - The away fans are understandably ecstatic and are singing their hearts out. Can West Ham hang on for another six minutes to go in ahead at the break?
38 min - It is Noble's first goal from open play this season on his 100th game for the Hammers. What a way to mark it!
35 min - GOAL! Mark Noble gives West Ham the lead with a great right-footed finish. Noble starts the move by winning the ball back and breaking 50 yards down the right. He played Boa Morte in who cut it back to Tristan. The Spaniard took a touch and laid it into Noble's path and he flicked into the far corner with the outside of his right foot. Great goal and a great start from Zola's men.
34 min - A great break from West Ham sees Di Michele race down the right and the feed Boa Morte. The West Ham No 13 slightly over hits his pass to Tristan who is offside.
31 min - Blackburn think they have taken the lead after Pedersen's long throw is flicked on for Diouf to prod home. Thankfully, Mr. Foy rules it out for offside and the replays seem to show the decision was correct.
29 min - The Hammers are enjoying a good spell here and the ball seems to be spending most of its time in the home side's half. Let us hope it stays that.
25 min - An almighty scramble in the area after Robinson and Samba both try to clear Noble's cross. For a split second, the ball looks as though it will fall to Tristan, but Ooijer hacks it clear.
23 min - Roberts goes down in the area under a challenge from Neill and the home fans scream for a spot-kick. It did not look like much to me and referee Chris Foy agrees. No penalty.
19 min - Zola is out at the edge of his technical area to lend his team some encouragement. They look to be coping pretty well at the moment, though.
17 min - West Ham double their shot count through a Di Michele drive from the edge of the area. Robinson smothers the ball comfortably and Rovers break away.
15 min - The travelling fans have just been asked to sit down over the tannoy. They respond with a chant of 'stand up if you love West Ham.' Interesting stuff.
14 min - The Hammers' first shot of the match is a long-range effort from Parker that flies well over.
12 min - Neill goes down after being caught in the face by a stray elbow from Roberts. A foul is given but nothing more.
10 min - Corner to Rovers after a cross is deflected behind by Parker. It is floated in by Pedersen and, after a melee in the area, the ball is hacked clear. The Hammers' defenders were throwing their bodies in the way of everything then.
8 min - First big opening of the match as Jason Roberts blazes a great chance over the bar from 10 yards. A let off for the visitors.
7 min - To be fair to the home side they are looking to stamp their own passing style on the match. If it continues like this we could be in for quite an entertaining afternoon.
5 min - Positive start from Zola's side here. They are looking to stick to their assured passing game that has served them so well of late.
3 min - Robert Green, who took a nasty whack to the face on Monday night comes out to punch away a Pedersen long throw-in;
2 min - The Hammers look like they have set up in a 4-3-3 formation with Tristan, Boa Morte and Di Michele up front. Noble, Parker and Radoslav Kovac will be doing the running in midfield today.
1 min - Blackburn get us underway as the claret and blue section of the crowd break into a chorus of 'Bubbles'.
2.57pm - Here come the two teams! Lucas Neill leads out West Ham at the ground where he made so many appearances as a Blackburn player. The Killers have finished and been replaced by the Premier League tune. The two sets of players shake hands and head for their respective ends. There is a very decent crowd in here at Ewood Park, although the upper tier in the Darwen End, above the West Ham supporters, is closed.
2.55pm - The Rovers mascot Roar Lion is pinging balls at the goal from 30 yards. He - I think it's a 'he' as the mascot has a mane - has got great technique. He has just belted one in the top corner!
2.53pm - A large inflatable football is being kicked around in the away end. The impromptu kickabout rouses the fans into a chorus of 'Bubbles', drowning out the tannoy, which is playing 'Human' by The Killers.
2.50pm - Stanislas, Bondz 'Gala and Kurucz are the last West Ham players to leave the pitch for the dressing room. A huge Premier League tarpaulin is being unveiled across the centre circle.
2.48pm - Everton have gone down 2-1 at Portsmouth in the lunchtime kick-off, meaning a win for the Hammers this afternoon will lift Gianfranco Zola's men to within five points of sixth place. Pompey's victory took them above Blackburn, who drop to 16th.
2.47pm - A couple of the West Ham players will reach notable milestones this afternoon. It will be Noble's 100th appearance in a West Ham shirt, while Scott Parker will make his 250th league appearance in total.
2.45pm - Hungary Under-21 goalkeeper Peter Kurucz has travelled with the first-team again today. He is currently in goal trying to keep out shots from the likes of David Di Michele and Freddie Sears.
2.40pm - The Ewood Park stadium announcer is running through the two teams. West Ham have a substitute called 'Stanislav'. Not sure when he was signed?! On the pitch, Junior Stanislas and his team-mates are running through their pre-match warm-up routine. They get a loud cheer from the travelling supporters behind the goal as they go through a series of short sprints.
The teams are in and Gianfranco Zola makes three changes from the 0-0 draw with West Bromwich Albion. Matthew Upson has not quite recovered from the calf injury picked up on Monday so Jonathan Spector comes in at right-back with Lucas Neill moving inside. In midfield, Savio is ruled out by the knock he suffered to his knee against the Baggies so Luis Boa Morte starts. Up front, Diego Tristan starts his first game for the Hammers in place of Freddie Sears, who drops to the bench. Kieron Dyer returns to the bench following his recent calf injury, where he joins teenagers Bondz 'Gala, Junior Stanislas and Josh Payne.
Blackburn Rovers make two changes from the team that lost 4-0 at Arsenal. Zurab Khizanishvili and Jay Simpson drop out and Ryan Nelsen and Benni McCarthy start.
West Ham United: Green, Spector, Neill, Tomkins, Ilunga, Noble, Kovac, Parker, Boa Morte (Lopez 79 ), Di Michele (Dyer 82), Tristan (Payne 90)
Subs: Lastuvka, 'Gala, Stanislas, Sears
Blackburn Rovers: Robinson, Nelson, Samba, Ooijer (Andrews 46), Givet, Diouf, Mokoena, Warnock, Pedersen, Roberts, McCarthy
Subs: Brown, Tugay, Khizanishvili, Treacy, Dunn, Villanueva