Barclays Premier League
Sunderland v West Ham United
Stadium of Light
Saturday 31 October 2009
3pm
Referee: Andre Marriner
Full time - Andre Marriner brings the game to a close and the players make their way down the tunnel. The second half was a real slug as the home side threw everything they had at their visitors but I think that Zola and his players would have been happy to have taken a point from this match before kick-off.
94 min - I think the final action of the game will be a free-kick to the Hammers just inside their own half.
90 min - We will play four more minutes here.
88 min - Bent flashes another chance just past the post.
87 min - It will be ten against ten for the final few minutes as Kovac is sent from the field for his second booking.
85 min - Spector is penalised for a foul on the right touchline. Reid takes the kick and Bent meets it with a firm header. Thankfully it goes inches wide.
84 min - Diamanti goes so close with a rasping effort from 25 yards that Gordon does not get near.
83 min - What a finish we are having here as the play flows from one end to the other. Bent has just fired another chance straight at Green.
81 min - First change for the home side as Malbranque makes way for former Hammer George McCartney.
76 min - GOAL! Sunderland level the game after Richardson bundles in the ball from three yards.
74 min - Another good chance for the home team is wasted as Malbranque volleys well wide from just inside the area.
72 min - Hines comes on and Franco is off.
71 min - There could be another change for the Hammers as Hines has been called over the touchline.
67 min - Diamanti comes on and Noble drops back into the right of midfield as it is Behrami that makes way.
65 min - How close was that? Sunderland hit the woodwork twice from two headers and then Da Silva forces Green into a save. West Ham rode their luck there.
64 min - It looks Diamanti will be joining the action soon as Zola has called him over.
61 min - Cole goes into the book for a challenge on Turner.
59 min - Another big call for Marriner here as Cana dives in on Cole with two feet. Cana has been booked in the first half and on another day that could have been a booking.
57 min - Pressure once again from the home side as they force a corner but Upson is there to head clear. The West Ham United captain has been superb today.
54 min - More good goalkeeping as he comes out to gather a loose ball. At the other end, Cole does brilliantly to first control the ball and then sprint away from two markers. Sadly, the only thing lacking was a finish as his shot goes inches wide.
51 min - The hosts have started this half in a positive manner and Bent has another great chance but this time he sends his shot high and wide.
49 min - And one superb save is followed by another as from the resulting corner, Turner smashes a header at goal but Green somehow gets a hand to it to push it away. What a save!
48 min - Great save by Green as Bent finds a bit of space and tries to shoot across goal.
46 min - Early pressure sees Noble win a corner. He takes it and it is met by a superb header from Franco, who has been superb. Once again, though, Gordon is there to beat the ball away.
46 min - The second half is underway.
Half time
45 min - Corner to Sunderland as Reid's shot is deflected for a corner. Spector gets up highest to head clear.
45 min - More drama here as Jones is red carded for pushing Ilunga in the face. The left-back is down has to go off for a bit of treatment but is booked upon his return to the field.
45 min - Three minutes of added time.
44 min - A real spell of pressure from the home side has finally ended after a cross from the left flies harmlessly wide. If the Hammers can survive another minute it will have been a superb first half.
40 min - West Ham go on the attack straight away and after Turner slides in on Franco to pick up another booking for the home side, Noble's flighted free-kick in wins another corner.
39 min - GOAL! Reid takes the kick and curls it past Green and into the top corner.
37 min - Ilunga's foul gives Sunderland a free-kick right on the edge of the area. Kovac runs to the assistant on this side to argue his case but Marriner does not like it and books the midfielder.
36 min - GOAL! Cole makes it two after collecting Collison's through-ball and calmly slotting the ball past Gordon.
34 min - So close! Another great move forward sees Cole collect a long pass brilliantly and then spin and hit a fierce left-footed volley which Gordon can only parry away. The Hammers are on top here but need to get another goal.
33 min - Sunderland are still threatening here and more good defending from Upson is needed to clear the ball.
32 min - Well that goal has helped the away support find their voice and Bubbles is ringing out around the Stadium of Light.
30 min - GOAL! And from the counter-attack the Hammers take the lead. Great work from Noble, then Behrami and finally Collison sees the latter cross the ball for Guille Franco, who has a simple finish from three yards.
30 min - That is safely collected by Green.
29 min - More good defending from Upson as he heads clear under pressure from Jones. It is at the expense of a corner, though.
25 min - Tomkins is fouled by Bent as he tries to chase back and the Sunderland player reacts a bit too strongly for the referee's liking and he has his name taken.
23 min - Two good bits of defending from Upson in the space of two minutes. First, he had to show perfect timing to take the ball from Bent's toe and then he slid in to stop a dangerous-looking cross from Reid.
20 min - Franco is the next player to feel the force of a strong tackle. He stays down and has to be treated at the side of the pitch before coming back on. It looks like he has a nasty gash on his shin, though.
16 min - Great play from the visitors as five-man move ends up with Behrami smashing a shot at goal from the edge of the area that Gordon does well to parry. That will give Zola's side plenty of encouragement.
14 min - Cole is fouled 40 yards from goal and Noble takes the kick but it is cleared by the first man. The ball falls to Bent but his pass goes miles away from anyone in a red and white shirt. Not the best passage of play we'll be seeing this afternoon I think.
12 min - Paulo Da Silva tries his luck from 25 yards and either Green was very confident or he did not think he would get there as he let the ball fly past his left-hand post.
11 min - Concern here as Noble is down following a high tackle from Cana. He gets back to his feet eventually and the Sunderland captain goes into referee Andre Marriner's book.
8 min - Bright start this from both teams as Noble has the Hammers' first effort on goal. The No16, who is playing at the tip of the diamond, tries to beat Craig Gordon with a curler but does not quite get enough power on it to trouble the Scotland international.
6 min - Sunderland have the first real shot of the game as captain Lorik Cana bursts down the left and delivers the ball right on the head of Bent. He makes good contact but it flies just wide. That was close.
5 min - Great hold up play from Carlton Cole as he brings down a long ball forward on his chest, turns his marker and lays it off neatly.
4 min - Good work from Behrami on the left as he draws the foul to ease the pressure for a moment.
3 min - Andy Reid drills it along the floor, and after the ball loops in the air, Upson takes control of the situation and heads clear.
2 min - Early pressure from the home side here and Behrami has given away a free-kick right on the edge of the area.
1 min - West Ham will be attacking the goal away to my left in the first half. The Hammers fans are in the stand to my right and give a stirring rendition of Bubbles as Cole and Franco get us underway.
2.57pm - The players are out and the handshakes have been exchanged. Upson leads the charge towards the away goal and get a huge cheer from the away support. There seems to be good numbers who have made the trip up from London, with a few fancy dress outfits standing out in the crowd. Bananaman is the pick of the bunch so far.
2.55pm - Well we have all finally taken our seats to catch the end of the warm up. While Matthew Upson and company were getting ready, a group of soldiers from the armed forces marched around the pitch and were greeted a warm applause from both sections of fans. Once finished, they have now lined up either side of the tunnel to form a guard of honour from when the players come out.
Gianfranco Zola makes one enforced change to his starting XI for this afternoon's Barclays Premier League match at the Stadium of Light. Scott Parker is serving a one-match ban so Radoslav Kovac comes into the team. Alessandro Diamanti and Zavon Hines, who both impressed as substitutes against Arsenal last weekend, must do with places on the bench, where they are joined by Danny Gabbidon and Luis Jimenez.
Sunderland welcome back midfielders Steed Malbranque and Andy Reid as well as top scorer Darren Bent to their starting XI.
West Ham United: Green, Spector, Tomkins, Upson, Ilunga, Behrami (Diamanti 67), Parker, Noble, Collison, Franco (Hines 72), Cole
Subs: Kurucz, Faubert, Gabbidon, Jimenez, Stanislas
Sunderland: Gordon, Turner, Da Silva, Nosworthy, Henderson, Richardson, Cana, Malbranque, Reid, Jones, Bent
Subs: Fulop, Ferdinand, Bardsley, McCartney, Healy, Meyler, Murphy