Carling Cup third round
Bolton Wanderers v West Ham United
Reebok Stadium
Tuesday 22 September 2009
8pm
Referee: Howard Webb
Final-score - Bolton Wanderers 3-1 West Ham United
122 min - Referee Webb blows the full-time whistle and West Ham's Carling Cup dreams are over for another year.
120 min - One minute of added-time will be played. Samuel receives some treatment for what looks like a facial injury.
119 min - GOAL! There will be no penalties tonight. Bolton score a third through Elmander, who slides in to finish the job from close-range from Lee's cross.
118 min - Dreadful effort from Elmander, who wins a header and then slices a volley miles wide.
117 min - West Ham are making a late fist of this. Diamanti turns and gets into the penalty area, but his cross is too close to Jaaskelainen and the goalkeeper clutches the ball in front of his face.
115 min - Cole does superbly to hold off Knight and rolls the ball out wide to Faubert. Unfortunately, the Frenchman doesn't replicate his colleague's skill and the ball flies out for a goal kick.
114 min - Bolton come close to a third. Taylor feeds Elmander, but the Swede's shot clears the crossbar, but not by much.
113 min - It's all over at Scunthorpe. A fine night for Jordan Spence, who completed all 120 minutes in a 2-0 win over Port Vale.
111 min - Tomkins' long ball forward finds Spector. The right-back's initial effort is blocked but the ball falls to Diamanti, who takes a touch and curls a shot in that clips the top of the crossbar on the way over the top. Very, very close to an equaliser.
110 min - Ten minutes to go. West Ham create a crossing chance down the right, Faubert launches the ball into the danger zone and it finds Ilunga, but his low cross is blocked.
108 min - A long throw is controlled by Davies into the path of Elmander, but the Swede's shot is straight at Green.
107 min - Bolton win another corner. Elmander fires the ball into 'Gala's shins. Taylor takes and Ilunga heads clear.
106 min - Cole and Parker kick-off... West Ham go on the offensive straight away. Faubert whips in a cross from the right that is just in front of Cole and Bolton clear.
West Ham's players take on some liquids ahead of the final stages of this tie. Can they score the goal they need to force penalties?
Half-time in extra time - Bolton Wanderers 2-1 West Ham United
106 min - The opening period of extra time is nearly over. West Ham have 15 minutes to keep their Carling Cup hopes alive, but first Faubert wins a free-kick down the left. Diamanti over-hits the free-kick and Webb blows for half-time.
103 min - Green hits a long clearance that Cole controls. The England man turns, but his shot from 25 yards is never threatening the goal.
102 min - Bolton come close to a third. Decent work down the right from Ricketts and Cohen before the ball is worked back to Knight, who mis-hits his cross and Green has to help the ball over.
98 min - Diamanti lets fly from an angle, but his shot is always too high and lands in the crowd.
96 min - GOAL! West Ham fail to clear another Bolton corner and the ball drops to Cahill on the edge of the penalty area. The defender lashes a half-volley that flies past Green's dive into the corner. Zola's side have it all to do now.
95 min - At Scunthorpe, they are also into extra time, with the hosts scoring twice in the first five minutes to go 2-0 up against Port Vale. It appears Jordan Spence is going to the last-16.
94 min - After 94 minutes, plus stoppages, Parker is the first player to be booked for a foul on Cohen 30 yards from goal. Taylor, who else, is going to take it... and he hits the base of the post with Green beaten!
92 min - Faubert, who has spent the start of the new season at right-back, is playing on the right of the front three, with Diamanti on the left. Bolton win another right-wing corner, their 18th! Taylor takes and the ball bounces up on to the chest of Davies at the back post, and Spector is on hand to head off the line.
91 min - And off we go again for a third time...
Gianfranco Zola and Steve Clarke are giving Tomkins and 'Gala some last-second instructions before the two sets of players take to the field again for an extra 30 minutes. Parker and Davies go for another chat with Webb. It looks like Bolton are going to kick-off...
Full-time - Bolton Wanderers 1-1 West Ham United
95 min - The final whistle goes. We're in for another half-an-hour, at least. Looks like we'll be accompanying the long-distance lorry drivers down the M6 later...much later!
94 min - Long clearance from Green bounces through to Jaaskelainen, but Cole gets in and tackles the goalkeeper. The ball squirts along the 18-yard line, and Cole gets there first as the Finn tries to recover. Instead of shooting, the striker tries to pass to Noble, but the ball hits a defender and is cleared for a corner. Noble takes and the ball drops to Faubert, whose low drive hits a leg just as it appears it will roll to Cole a yard from goal...
93 min - 'Gala romps down the right and finds Noble. West Ham play some neat football, but, unfortunately, Faubert is unable to find Kovac inside the penalty area and the ball goes out for a goal kick.
91 min - Bolton break clear from their own penalty area and, for a moment, look to have five-on-three. Tomkins races back and wins a challenge that was immensely important. Fine work from the England Under-21 man.
90 min - Good play from Parker finds Ilunga. He passes to Noble, who finds Diamanti. The Italian wins a corner. We're in the final minute of the 90... We're going to have four added minutes, at least.
89 min - Davies goes up again to try and get on the end of Cohen's cross, but Tomkins does enough to put the striker off and his header flies over the top.
88 min - A third and final change for West Ham. Julien Faubert is on for Hines.
87 min - West Ham nearly hit back immediately. Cole's shot is blocked and the ball falls to Noble, whose low strike is gathered by Jaaskelainen. It looks like we are heading for extra time...
86 min - GOAL! Go on, have a guess at what has just happened! Yes, Bolton win another corner off Ilunga. Taylor crosses and Davies heads into the bottom corner to level the scores.
85 min - Elmander's shot hits Tomkins and bounces out for another corner. Will it be a case of unlucky 13 for West Ham? No. Taylor overhits his delivery and Cahill belts the ball out for a throw-in.
84 min - Bolton have another corner, their 12th, and Green again claims.
82 min - The seconds on the big screen seem to be clicking down a lot slower since West Ham took the lead! Bolton bring on Tamir Cohen, their joint top scorer with two goals, for McCann.
79 min - Diamanti picks the ball up wide on the right and fires it towards Hines in the box. The forward takes a touch and goes down near to Cahill. No appeals for a penalty though, and Bolton clear.
78 min - Taylor whips in ANOTHER corner and Green claims high above his head. The West Ham goalkeeper is going to have a sore neck tonight.
77 min - That's it for the former Werder Bremen man, who is replaced by Johan Elmander. Bolton have a long throw that Kovac heads clear. Taylor picks up the ball and his shot deflects wide off Tomkins for a corner. Taylor takes - he must be knackered! Green claws the ball away. McCann crosses and Ilunga heads out. Taylor takes the corner and Cole heads behind at the near post.
76 min - Klasnic swings a boot at a bouncing ball 20 yards out, but Green gathers with ridiculous ease.
75 min - A second change for the Hammers. Carlton Cole is on for Dyer, who enjoyed a decent night.
74 min - The big screen in the corner to my left tells me there are 16 minutes and 43 seconds remaining. Should West Ham win, they could join loanee Jordan Spence in the fourth-round. Spence's Scunthorpe are currently drawing 0-0 at home with Port Vale. They must nearly be in extra time at Glanford Park.
71 min - Robert Green is up on his feet again after receiving some running repairs following a challenge from Klasnic. The goalkeeper had been trying to clear a slightly short backpass when he was caught by the forward, but he seems to be okay.
69 min - Bolton bring on their South Korean import Chung-Yong Lee for Gardner.
68 min - Anything you can do.... Diamanti gives us another reminder of his left-foot prowess with a dipping strike from 25 yards that just clears the crossbar.
67 min - Ooooh! Bolton come close. West Ham were enjoying a decent spell of possession before Cahill cleared the ball and the home side broke. Davies was given time to measure up his shot from 20-plus yards, but his effort flies off-target.
65 min - A bit of 'Gala trivia for you. Bondz is the reserve-team captain and a powerful central defender. He was born in Forest Gate and has graduated from the club's Academy. 'Gala enjoyed a loan spell at MK Dons last season and has already scored a wonder-goal for the reserves in a 6-0 win over Birmingham City this term.
63 min - Big defender Bondz 'Gala is about to come on for his first-team debut. Indeed, he is now taking to the field, replacing fellow debutant Da Costa.
61 min - Bolton have come back strongly, as you might expect, since going behind. Taylor curls in a free-kick, but Davies cannot get his head to the ball and it goes out for a goal kick.
60 min - That is the DR Congo defender's third goal for the Hammers. All of them have come in the knockout competitions and all from set pieces. Ilunga hit the target against Barnsley and Middlesbrough in last season's FA Cup.
59 min - GOAL! West Ham lead! Diamanti's corner is, to be honest, pretty dire, but it bounces low into the six-yard box and Taylor completely misses his kick, allowing Ilunga to stab home at the far post.
58 min - Diamanti hits a Bolton defender with his set piece, but it ricochets to a West Ham boot. Tomkins finds Ilunga, who crosses and Gardner heads out for a corner.
57 min - Brilliant play from Hines, who wins a tackle in midfield and finds Diamanti, who is fouled by Knight. Diamanti gets up and takes the resulting free-kick...
56 min - Alert defensive play from Spector as he nips in to clear the ball out for another corner. Taylor takes and Ilunga volleys clear.
55 min - The visitors put together their best move of the second half so far, but Spector's cross is behind Hines and easily cleared by the hosts.
54 min - Gardner crosses low and Davies attempts to turn, but he slips on the ball and it rolls out for a goal kick. Nouble, Edgar and Payne are out on the touchline warming up in bright yellow bibs.
51 min - I think it would be safe to say that the second half has not started like the first. Bolton are on the front foot and only super goalkeeping from Green, who scoops Taylor's cross away, prevents Klasnic from heading in at the far post. Bolton's tenth corner is claimed by Green above his head.
47 min - The Glasgow Irons have also made the long trip down from Scotland for tonight's game. They see Klasnic force Green into tipping the ball over for yet another Bolton corner. Taylor crosses the umpteenth time and Green claims well. We have had 15 corners so far, Bolton nine and West Ham six.
46 min - Gardner and Davies kick-off the second half.
Latest score - Bolton 0-0 West Ham United
Much like the pies et al, the half-time mushroom soup was also decent. Here come the two sets of players...
46 min - Howard Webb blows the half-time whistle after one added minute and the two sets of players head off.
45 min - We're almost at the halfway mark, and we're going to have a minimum of one added minute. West Ham get the ball forward again and Diamanti lets fly from 30 yards, but it goes harmlessly over the top. Cole, Nouble and Edgar have just been warming up on the touchline. At least one of them is likely to be called upon after the break, I would venture.
44 min - Taylor takes, the ball hits the wall and Green cranes his neck to watch it loop out for another corner. Taylor trots across and whips the ball in again, it is flicked on at the near post and Gardner shanks his shot miles over the top.
43 min - Ilunga cuts out a Klasnic cross and Bolton have another corner. Davies hooks the ball out to Gardner, who is brought down by Kovac 25 yards out. Matt Taylor will be keen on this one...
40 min - Five minutes to go until the break. Quite how this game is still goalless is beyond me. It has been thoroughly entertaining stuff.
37 min - Oooh! So close for Hines, who takes Dyer's reverse pass and cuts inside, only to see his shot deflected wide by a lunging Cahill. From the corner, Bolton half-clear and the ball is worked out wide left to Diamanti. The Italian's cross is wicked, but just a yard in front of Da Costa.
36 min - Bolton have been forced to change their formation slightly following West Ham's strong start. McCann is playing slightly further forward to close down the space that was being used so well early on by Noble and Parker.
35 min - After a period of inactivity, Spector wakes Jaaskelainen up with a cross-shot that the goalkeeper can only help out for a corner. Diamanti receives the ball short, but his shot is charged down.
30 min - Decent defending from Diamanti, who robs Gardner and is then fouled by the Jamaica international. Half an hour in and West Ham are holding their own against a near first-choice Bolton lineup. The Trotters win another corner, which Spector nods clear.
29 min - Superb save from Green to deny Klasnic. The goalkeeper tips a curling shot out for another corner. Taylor crosses and Davies heads downwards, but the ball skips into the arms of the goalkeeper.
27 min - Da Costa will be counting his blessings there. Davies robbed the defender just outside the penalty area before cutting the ball to Klasnic, who somehow failed to put the ball into the net from about three yards. The Croat will not be happy when he sees that on Sky Sports News later on.
24 min - To my right, the two sets of fans are engaging in some verbal jousting.
23 min - Finally, after a quarter of tonight's tie, the game appears to be settling down. Oh, no, maybe it isn't! Hines finds Dyer, who is challenged by McCann. The ball squirts towards goal, where Jaaskelainen is able to control on his chest before one of his defenders completes the clearance. Smart goalkeeping.
22 min - West Ham are playing some nice stuff here. They break up another Bolton raid and Kovac threads a neat ball through to a rampaging Noble, but the midfielder can only drag his shot wide from 25 yards.
20 min - Good football from Diamanti and Noble sees Spector win a corner down the right. West Ham work it short and keep possession on the edge of the penalty area before Parker's pass goes out for a goal kick. Shame.
18 min - Just to clarify something I said earlier. Zavon Hines is Jamaican-born, but has a British passport. Did you hear that Sr Capello?
16 min - Da Costa commits his first foul as a West Ham player, bringing down Davies. Taylor's free-kick looks poor until Davies reaches it on the by-line and cuts the ball into the six-yard box, where Ilunga completes the clearance.
14 min - Will this game ever settle down? Diamanti skips around a challenge and feeds Hines. The Jamaican has only Jaaskelainen to beat, but the Finn blocks his shot behind for a corner. Diamanti takes, but curls his cross straight into the side-netting. Disappointing, but at least it gives me a chance to draw breath!
13 min - Close again for Bolton. Taylor takes an in-swinging corner from the right and Cahill gets a head on it, but the ball flies wide of the far post.
12 min - Davies wins a free-kick following a Parker challenge 35 yards from Green's goal. Taylor plays it short to Ricketts, who crosses. Knight rises highest and heads downwards, only for Green to dive full-length and push the ball around the post. McCann crosses and Green punches clear, but Ilunga can only head out for another Bolton corner.
11 min - Bolton threaten again down the left. Samuel crosses low and, after a bit of pinball, Da Costa smashes the bouncing ball upfield. In truth, Bolton did not have a single body in the penalty area bar Klasnic.
10 min - West Ham have started well here. The man in the suit will be very impressed with the way his side are passing the ball on what looks like a lush, decent playing surface.
9 min - West Ham have a free-kick 30 yards from goal. It's not a great angle for Diamanti, but he fancies it. Noble strikes instead, but the low shot hits the wall.
8 min - Bolton have a corner. Ricketts forces the ball out off a sliding Ilunga. Taylor crosses and Tomkins heads clear at the far post.
7 min - Another minute and another scoring chance! This time Hines breaks free down the left and cuts the ball into to Diamanti, who scuffs his shot. It rebounds to Kovac, who is flagged offside.
6 min - Another shooting chance, this time for Bolton. A measured build-up ends with Taylor firing a rising effort over from 25 yards. I suppose it had to be rising if it went over the crossbar?
5 min - West Ham are leaving three players forward for every Bolton set piece. Surely a deliberate tactic as the Trotters love to throw men forward for corners, free-kicks and even throw-ins.
3 min - My keyboard is nearly on fire here...
2 min - Diamanti picks the ball up after Bolton only half-clear the corner, but Jaaskelainen pushes his shot aside. Hines picks up the loose ball and finds Noble, who drills another shot at goal, which the goalkeeper scrambles wide for another corner. Bolton again only half-clear, allowing Parker to smash a half-volley inches wide.
1 min - Hines and Diamanti get us underway, but it is Bolton who are first to threaten, winning a corner off debutant Da Costa. Taylor and McCann stand over the set piece. Herita Ilunga makes a superb block to deny Kevin Davies. West Ham break straight up the other end and have four men to Bolton's three. Parker finds Dyer, but his shot is deflected just wide.
8pm - Referee Howard Webb calls the captains, Kevin Davies and Scott Parker, together for the pre-match photos and other bits and bobs. The 900-or-so West Ham fans who have made the long trip north are making a decent amount of noise behind the goal to my right.
7.58pm - West Ham are wearing there change strip of dark blue tonight. It is the first time the away kit has been out of the chests so far this term.
7.57pm - Lofty the Lion is on the pitch trying to whip the home fans up into a frenzy, but he's got a bit of a job on his paws. Here come the two teams...
7.52pm - The away fans are singing 'Bubbles' for all they are worth. The home fans are not singing at all...yet. Three of the four upper tiers are closed for tonight's game, which is a bit disappointing. Portsmouth are already losing to Carlisle United, which will make the 700-mile round-trip for the Pompey fans seem even longer. The poor souls haven't had much to cheer about so far this season, bar a second-round win over Hereford United.
7.48pm - The midfielders and forwards are having a spot of shooting practice. Diamanti has just drilled a left-foot volley past Kurucz, followed by a cheeky chip from Frank Nouble. Elsewhere, Manuel Da Costa and James Tomkins are doing some heading drills with Keen.
7.45pm - Considering there are only 15 minutes to go until kick-off, the stadium is not exactly full to bursting. Estimates of a crowd in the region of 10,000 have been whispered. We shall see... Danny Gabbidon, by the way, has a slight calf injury, but is expected to be fine for next Monday's game.
7.42pm - The manager is out on the touchline to watch his team warming up. Mr Zola has a suit on again. I don't know what has prompted his change in wardrobe choice, but the Italian master certainly cuts a smooth figure in his new threads. Robert Green is the first Hammer to head back to the away dressing room, while substitute Peter Kurucz is still in deep discussion with coach Jerome John. Ludek Miklosko is still recovering from a back injury suffered during the pre-season. It remains to be seen whether 'Ludo' will be fit for next Monday's trip to Manchester City.
7.40pm - Kevin Keen is running through a keep-ball session in the middle of the pitch. Keen loves these drills as means of keeping the players sharp in the lead-up to kick-off. It is five-on-five in a tight area, with Julien Faubert floating between the two sides in an orange vest. Well, he's not literally floating, but running about...
7.35pm - New signing Guille Franco and Fabio Daprela are both going through some drills on the pitch away. Both were named in the 20-man squad for tonight's game. Franco enjoyed his first full training session on Sunday, but tonight's game has come a little too soon for him. With a full week's training behind him, it is hoped the striker will be involved at Eastlands next Monday evening.
7.32pm - The three mascots are having a kickaround near the tunnel. Connor Booth, who is 12, is West Ham's representative tonight. I can report that Connor's favourite players are Robert Green and Mark Noble, while his hobbies are football, naturally, and motorcross!
7.25pm - Bolton take to the pitch, cheered on by the few fans who have taken their seats early. I think it would be safe to assume that we're not going to see a full Reebok Stadium tonight. And here come the Hammers. Alessandro Diamanti, wearing boots with lime-green soles, gives the travelling supporters a clap.
7.20pm - Having safely taken my seat in the stand, I can report that the Tilbury Hammers have done likewise. Good on them. They, unlike your intrepid press team, may have travelled up along the M62, M60 and M61. Having heard some negative travel news on Radio Two, we decided to take a detour through the towns of east Lancashire, only to see the supporters coaches we had overtaken earlier on the M6 beat us to the ground!
7.15pm - Welcome to the Reebok Stadium for tonight's Carling Cup third-round tie. It's getting dark and gloomy here in Lancashire as summer threatens to turn to autumn. I can report that the pre-match pie, chips, onion gravy and mushy peas were of superb quality. The team would have been much more sensible, feasting on spaghetti, chicken and other carbohydrate-dominated foodstuffs earlier this afternoon.
Gianfranco Zola has made four changes to his West Ham United side for Tuesday night's Carling Cup third-round visit to Bolton Wanderers.
United States right-back Jonathan Spector is in for the rested Julien Faubert and former Portugal Under-21 defender Manuel Da Costa replaces Matthew Upson at the heart of the back-four. Valon Behrami is still recovering from the slight leg injury he suffered against Liverpool on Saturday, with Radoslav Kovac taking his place. Carlton Cole drops to the bench, with his starting place taken by Kieron Dyer.
Forwards Alessandro Diamanti and Zavon Hines keep their places after impressing against Liverpool. Guille Franco, meanwhile, trained with the squad for the first time on Sunday and will hope for his debut at Manchester City on Monday after completing his free transfer signing following the expiry of his contract at Villarreal CF.
Twice runners-up West Ham are seeking to reach the fourth round for the second time in three seasons, but will need to win at the Reebok Stadium for the first time if they are to do so. The Hammers have drawn twice and lost six times - including a League Cup third-round defeat in October 2005.
Bolton Wanderers: Jaaskelainen, Ricketts, Cahill, Knight, Samuel, Taylor, Muamba, McCann (Cohen 82), Gardner (Lee 69), K.Davies, Klasnic (Elmander 77)
Subs: Al Habsi, Steinsson, A.O'Brien, Davies
West Ham United: Green, Spector, Tomkins, Da Costa ('Gala 63), Ilunga, Noble, Parker, Kovac, Dyer (Cole 75), Diamanti, Hines (Faubert 88)
Subs: Kurucz, Payne, Edgar, Nouble