FULHAM v WEST HAM UNITED
BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE
SUNDAY 26 DECEMBER 2010
KICK-OFF: 12NOON
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Full-time score - Fulham 1-3 West Ham United
94 mins - Obinna puts his tracksuit back on and when Green thumps the ball upfield, the game is over! That is the Hammers' first away league win in 28 matches and also their first come-from-behind victory on the road since winning 4-1 at Portsmouth on Boxing Day 2008. Don't forget, whufc.com and WHUTV will have exclusive post-match reaction shortly. Also, tickets and hospitality packages are still available for the visits of Everton and Wolverhampton Wanderers on 28 December and New Year's Day respectively. Click here to buy yours now.
93 mins - Ben Haim concedes a goal kick, but it probably doesn't matter. Obinna is coming on if there is time. Gabbidon keeps his concentration and snuffs out the threat of Duff.
91 mins - We're going to have at least three minutes of added-time. The away fans have been rewarded for braving the sub-zero temperatures and Tube strike with a first away league win in 28 attempts!
89 mins - Fulham are making mistakes and giving the ball away. Another mis-placed pass goes out for a throw, giving Grant the chance to bring on Frank Nouble for Piquionne.
87 mins - Gera crosses from the right and Upson is again there to head clear from inside the penalty area. Fulham come again and Sears inadvertantly heads the ball to Andy Johnson, but the striker's shot is weak and straight at Green.
85 mins - Salcido crosses dangerously to the far post, Gera rises but Upson is there to block the Hungarian's header. Good defending.
84 mins - Duff goes down the right and wins a corner. The West Ham fans throw the ball around for a while. Duff finally takes the corner and Green claims.
83 mins - Parker receives the ball from Kovac and breaks away before passing to Cole. The two-goal striker tries to find Parker again, but the midfielder's attempt to find Sears is cut out.
81 mins - Parker goes down under a challenge from Eddie Johnson and is clutching his face, but replays suggest any contact is accidental.
80 mins - Duff's low cross finds Murphy 14 yards out, but his first-time shot flies high and not very handsome.
79 mins - Piquionne picks out Cole's run with a superb pass over the top. The No9 is eyeing a hat-trick as he cuts inside, but his shot is blocked.
77 mins - The away fans are singing their hearts out to my left. It'll certainly help to keep them warm, as will Salcido's cross that balloons high and behind for a goal kick.
74 mins - That's a great save by Green. Murphy's shot is deflected into the path of the American, but Green thrusts out an arm and diverts the ball behind. From the resulting corner, a goalmouth melee ends with Piquionne finally bringing the ball clear.
73 mins - GOAL! Cole! Gabbidon clips the ball forward and Hughes is challenged by Piquionne and can only head the ball to Cole, who slots the ball past Schwarzer first-time. That's his first Premier League brace ever!
72 mins - Sears plays a neat ball through for Stanislas, but when the No25 shoots, Hughes blocks behind for a corner.
71 mins - Salcido takes on Sears before crossing left-footed, but the ball is safely into the hands of Green.
70 mins - Twenty minutes of the 90 to go and Fulham are pressing for an equaliser. Parker is doing his all as usual though, winning the ball before being fouled by Davies.
67 mins - Fulham come again. Duff cuts inside Stanislas and shoots, but the ball screws away off the outside of his left foot and flies wide of the far post.
66 mins - This is all-action at present. Sears runs at Salcido and goes to the Mexican's left before slamming a shot wide of the near post from 20 yards.
65 mins - Stanislas beats Pantsil before crossing low to Cole. He backheels the ball to Sears, who spins and shoots just wide. Fulham break immediately and Andy Johnson gets in behind Upson. The captain just does enough to put him off slightly and Green makes a superb save low down.
64 mins - Kovac loops a pass over Salcido to Parker, who slightly mis-hits his cross. Cole tries to get on the end of it, but Fulham scramble it away.
63 mins - Upson is ready to return, but referee Halsey orders him back to the halfway line. Fulham are attacking as the No15 sprints back into position. Duff's cross is deflected and Eddie Johnson is penalised for a push on Kovac.
61 mins - Upson needs some treatment for a cut to his face. While he is off, Kovac drops in at centre-back.
60 mins - Andy Johnson handballs before lashing a shot goalwards that Green pushes aside. Referee Halsey had given a free-kick against the striker, though.
59 mins - Cole momentarily looks as if he is going in goal-side of Hughes, but the Northern Ireland defender positions his body well and draws a foul from the No9.
56 mins - Cole turns neatly and skips past one challenge before feeding Stanislas. The winger cuts on to his right foot and crosses. Schwarzer paws at the ball and it drops inside the penalty area, but Salcido has time to clear.
53 mins - Dempsey is replaced by Damien Duff. The American may be carrying a knock after being hurt in a recent aerial battle with Piquionne. Etuhu is also replaced, with Eddie Johnson joining his namesake up front.
52 mins - Piquionne threads the ball between Salcido and Hangeland to Sears, who cuts it back for Cole. The No9 is in a good position, but his touch lets him down and Fulham scramble the ball away.
48 mins - Murphy pokes the ball to Gera, who stops it, but when the midfielder shoots his effort curls miles over the wall and the crossbar.
47 mins - Upson is booked for a foul on Dempsey about three yards outside the West Ham box. This free-kick will favour a left-footer, but it looks like Murphy will take it.
46 mins - Cole turns Hangeland and looks to be fouled. Referee Halsey gives nothing and Fulham are able to clear their lines.
46 mins - West Ham get the second half up and running through Parker and Cole...
Fulham are the first team back out on the pitch after the break, with the Hammers opting for a few extra moments indoors.
Half-time score - Fulham 1-2 West Ham United
46 mins - After a minute of added time, the half-time whistle is blown. Well, well, well! Join us again in 15 minutes for the second half.
45 mins - GOAL! Cole momentarily looks as if he is in, but Pantsil makes a superb challenge. West Ham win the ball back and come down the left. Parker takes his time before crossing to the back post and Piquionne is all alone. The Frenchman volleys past Schwarzer and the Hammers lead!
44 mins - A minute plus added time until the break and Dempsey leaves Tomkins in a heap on the edge of the West Ham box. The No5 is made of stern stuff, though, and refuses treatment.
41 mins - Kovac gets in a challenge on Gera and the ball spins behind. The Czech is there to head the ball away not once but twice from inside his own penalty area.
40 mins - Fulham come forward down the right before Gera cuts inside Kovac and shoots left-footed. The effort flies well wide of the far post. Gera wants a foul, but Halsey gives nothing.
37 mins - GOAL! Cole! Comedy goal. Piquionne flicks the ball back into the path of Sears. His low cross is going nowhere until Etuhu sticks out a leg and diverts it into the path of Cole, who pokes the ball past Schwarzer and inside the far post.
33 mins - Parker and Sears work some space down the right before the ball is laid back to Kovac. His shot is on target, but hits a defender and spins wide. Stanislas' corner is again headed away at the near post.
31 mins - Gabbidon gets in a muddle and Davies has another chance to cross. Dempsey attacks it, but the ball spins into the air and Green collects.
30 mins - The hosts break from the corner and Johnson wins a corner off Upson. Davies curls the ball over and Green catches.
29 mins - Fulham fans want a handball against Upson. The No15 continues and threads a ball through to Cole, whose shot is blocked behind for a corner. Stanislas crosses and Schwarzer claims at the second attempt.
27 mins - Davies gets in between the West Ham midfield and defence and shoots left-footed, but the ball flies about three or four yards over the top.
26 mins - Parker goes in strongly and wins possession. He sends Sears away down the right and he plays it on to Ben Haim. The Israeli crosses but Hughes gets in first to hack the ball into the stand.
23 mins - Piquionne goes to ground again and Halsey again waves at him to get up. Fulham attack, but Gera's low shot is wayward and rolls harmlessly wide.
20 mins - Sears gives possession away but scampers back 50 yards to block Salcido's cross behind for a corner. Piquionne initially brings the ball away and then gets tackled by Gera. Upson slides in and Fulham have another corner. It is cleared.
19 mins - Piquionne takes a throw from Gabbidon before going down under a challenge from Murphy. The referee gives a goal kick.
17 mins - That a bit lucky. Fulham work some space down the right and Davies crosses low, but Johnson can only scuff his effort well wide of the far post.
14 mins - Gabbidon has his clearance charged down and the ball bounces to Johnson. He takes a touch and shoots, but Green is there to make the save low down to his left.
13 mins - Piquionne wins a corner, but Stanislas's effort is cut out at the near post.
12 mins - West Ham have a mountain to climb already. Cole turns on Gabbidon's pass, but his cross is too close to Schwarzer.
11 mins - GOAL! Salcido cuts inside and his shot from 30 yards and Green parries it behind. The corner is punched clear by Green. Murphy's follow-up shot is blocked and spins wide to Davies, He crosses and Hughes plants a header into the top corner.
9 mins - Fulham build up patiently, knocking the ball around in midfield before it is fed wide right to Pantsil. The former Hammer crosses first-time, but Dempsey cannot get the power on his header to trouble Green.
7 mins - Parker sends Piquionne away down the left and he spins and finds Cole inside the box. The No9 holds off his marker but is forced slightly wide. He shoots low with his left foot, but it flashes across the face of goal and behind.
5 mins - Cole is brought down about about five yards outside the box. Piquionne fancies it... Halsey takes his time getting the Fulham wall back before the No30 drives a low shot straight into the feet of a jumping defender.
4 mins - Parker wins possession and sends Stanislas off down the left. He crosses with his left foot, but it's in front of Cole and Schwarzer gathers low down on the edge of his six-yard box,
3 mins - Ben Haim fouls Dempsey on the Fulham left. Murphy lifts the free-kick over and Upson heads clear. Gera picks up possession, but his cross lands on top of the net.
2 mins - Sears gets in behind Salcido and crosses. Cole is beaten in the air by Hughes, but the ball loops over the top to Stanislas. He tries to drive in a cross, but it is cut out.
1 min - A long ball into the box is nodded down towards Johnson, but Green is out smartly to plunge on the bouncing ball before the England striker can latch on to it.
12.01pm - Fulham kick-off...
11.59am - Hammers mascot Dylan Selby has his photo taken with the captains and match officials. He'll never forget his Christmas! The coin is tossed and the two teams swap ends. West Ham will attack the end occupied by their own fans during the opening 45 minutes.
11.57am - Here come the two teams, led by captains Matthew Upson and Danny Murphy. Today's referee, incidentally, is Mark Halsey. For the snood-watchers among us, I can report that not one West Ham player is wearing one! Upson and Tal Ben Haim are showing real appetite for the fight by donning short-sleeved shirts.
11.55am - The two teams are lined up in the tunnel by the historic Cottage. We're nearly ready to go...
11.53am - Fulham have distributed some clap banners to their fans today. The supporters are clapping along to the music being played over the PA system... To be honest, there are quite a few empty seats around the stadium, which is a tad disappointing. The away fans are sat to my left in the Hammersmith Road End and are making loads of noise - as usual.
11.50am - Both teams are back in the relative warmth of their respective dressing rooms. On the pitch, Ruud Boffin is continuing his warm up with goalkeeping coach David Coles. In the centre-circle, Fulham staff are folding up a massive advertising tarpaulin. West Ham are looking for their third consecutive Boxing Day victory, having defeated Portsmouth on 26 December in each of the last two years.
11.45am - Chairman David Gold is currently standing two rows in front of me doing an interview with radio station talkSPORT. Among the familiar faces in the Press Box today are former Hammers heroes Tony Gale and Leroy Rosenior, BBC commentator John Motson and ex-Liverpool and England striker Stan Collymore. Fifteen minutes to kick-off!
11.40am - First-year professional Jordan Brown travelled with the squad to Craven Cottage and is out on the pitch warming up with his club-mates. At Blackburn, you might recall, Valon Behrami was hurt in the pre-match exercises. It is bitterly cold this morning, so it makes sense to have an extra body available in case someone tweaks a muscle.
11.35am - Good morning everyone and a belated but very merry Christmas to Hammers everywhere! The two teams are out on the pitch warming up in sub-zero temperatures. The West Ham half of the pitch looks frozen, but I am informed that it is simply the dew on the surface that has turned white and the playing surface itself is in perfect condition.
Good morning and welcome to today's Boxing Day Barclays Premier League fixture between Fulham and West Ham United at Craven Cottage.
The Hammers will be hoping to continue their recent run of impressive results on the banks of the River Thames, having won on three of their previous five league visits. To do so, West Ham will have to win on the road in the league for the first time since 15 August 2009 - 27 matches ago.
West Ham manager Avram Grant has made five changes to the side that started the 1-1 draw at Blackburn Rovers on 18 December. In come Robert Green, Freddie Sears, Radoslav Kovac, Junior Stanislas and Carlton Cole, while Ruud Boffin, Pablo Barrera, Jonathan Spector, Luis Boa Morte and Kieron Dyer drop out of the starting XI.
Green is fit again after undergoing minor surgery to remove a cyst, while Sears makes his first league start since the goalless home draw with West Bromwich Albion on 16 March 2009.
One player who will definitely not be involved in today's midday kick-off is former Fulham favourite Boa Morte, who is serving a one-match ban after picking up his fifth booking of the season at Ewood Park.
Fulham: Schwarzer, Pantsil, Hangeland, Hughes, Salcido, Davies, Etuhu (E.Johnson 53), Murphy, Gera, Dempsey (Duff 53), A.Johnson
Subs: Stockdale, Baird, Halliche, Greening, Kamara
West Ham United: Green, Ben Haim, Tomkins, Upson, Gabbidon, Sears, Parker, Kovac, Stanislas, Piquionne (Nouble 89), Cole
Subs: Boffin, Reid, Ilunga, Spector, Barrera, Obinna