Burnley v West Ham United
Turf Moor
Barclays Premier League
Saturday 6 February 2010
Kick-off: 3pm
Referee: Howard Webb
Full-time score - Burnley 2-1 West Ham United
96 mins - Upson flings in a long throw and it is flicked on. Cole goes for it, but it drops into the arms of Jensen. The Dane thrashes the ball upfield and Webb blows for full-time. It would be fair to say that the home supporters are quite pleased with that result.
95 mins - The home fans are whistling as Green belts the ball up the pitch one last time. It drops to Cole, but bounces too high for the striker to control his shot and the ball flies over the top.
93 mins - Mido's cross is deflected high into the air. Jensen comes and gets nowhere near it and the ball drops to Parker 20 yards out. Unfortunately, his finish is wayward and goes well wide of the post.
92 mins - The ball breaks to Bikey 40 yards from goal. He brings it forward and the crowd encourage him to shoot. He does, and the ball rolls wide of the post.
91 mins - We're going to have at least FIVE added minutes.
90 mins - Inches! Cole crosses from the left and Mido sticks out his left leg, only to see his shot bounce back of the base of the post. Burnley break up the other end and Parker is booked for a foul on Mears.
89 mins - Fletcher tricks his way past Tomkins before crossing dangerously, but Thompson's header flies over the top.
88 mins - Stanislas crosses from the right and Upson can only head wide of the post. Burnley make a third change, bringing on Thompson for Nugent.
87 mins - Stanislas shoots and it is deflected behind for a corner. Everyone, bar Green and Faubert, is in the box. Stanislas crosses and Ilan's downward header is pushed behind by Jensen.
86 mins - Goalscorer Foxis replaced by David Edgar. The majority of the 21,001 inside Turf Moor give the former Celtic player a generous reception.
85 mins - That was a trifle ambitious from Mido, who lets fly from about 35 yards. The ball clears Jensen and the crossbar with some distance to spare. Burnley break up the other end and Fletcher crosses. The ball hits a defender and Nugent can just not get enough on it to direct it goalwards. Spector nips in and clears the ball into touch.
84 mins - Argh! This is agonising. Cole holds the ball up superbly before clipping it to the far post, but Ilan cannot make contact on the volley.
83 mins - Stanislas is fouled near the halfway line, but the resulting free-kick is overhit and Jensen claims high above his head.
81 mins - GOAL! Ilan scores on his debut. Stanislas gets free down the left and, after what seems like ages, Spector, Parker, Cole and Mido are all involved before Jensen blocks the Egyptian's shot. The ball rolls clear and the Brazilian smashes it into the top corner. Game on!
77 mins - Noble is replaced by the third debutant of the day, Ilan. We certainly need some Brazilian magic here, to say the least.
76 mins - Weak appeals for handball against McDonald. In truth, there is no way he could have got out of the way of Tomkins' volley. Referee Webb waves away the claims.
75 mins - Ouch! That hurt. Scott Parker runs on to a Cole pass and straight into Carlisle.
72 mins - Stanislas almost does a Danny Fox, curling the ball over Jensen and against the underside of the Burnley crossbar before the Clarets get the ball clear. The ball goes out and Burnley make a change, replacing Blake for Patterson.
71 mins - Mears leaves Stanislas in a heap near the left touchline. That was a foul, there's no doubt about that! Stanislas himself will take the free-kick.
70 mins - Fletcher should maybe hit the target there. An Elliott cross lands on his head eight yards out, but he can only glance it wide of the far post.
69 mins - McDonald works some space on the edge of the penalty area, but Upson is there to block his shot.
66 mins - I don't believe this. Faubert curls the ball across and Jensen can only palm it to Tomkins, who sends it slowly towards the goalline. Cole stabs it in from about a yard out, only to be flagged for offside. It may well have been going in anyway. Replays show that Parker was offside in the build up.
64 mins - Fox brings down Parker wide on the right and is booked for his troubles. Mido is going to take the free-kick with his left foot, but Carlisle heads clear at the near post.
63 mins - Faubert and Noble work the ball across to left-back Spector, who finds Cole inside the box. The big man holds off his marker and runs along the edge of the penalty area before sending a deflected shot into the arms of Jensen.
62 mins - The game is very, very stretched, with hardly any time being spent in the middle third of the pitch. Zola makes his second change of the game, bringing on Junior Stanislas for Collison.
59 mins - Burnley's turn to threaten, with Mears cutting inside Spector and flashing a shot well over the crossbar from 18 yards. A third goal would make things a trifle tough for the Hammers.
56 mins - Inches from a goal for Parker. Cole and Mido combine to set up the midfielder, whose low shot is tipped around the post by Jensen. Good save, that.
55 mins - GOAL! Thankfully nothing. Fox steps up and curls a beauty of a free-kick into the far top corner. That was unstoppable.
54 mins - A yellow card for Collison for a shove on Mears. Thankfully, the offence was committed just a yard outside the penalty area.
52 mins - McDonald is shown the yellow card for pulling back Parker. West Ham have really upped it since half-time. Noble curls in the free-kick and Cole flicks it on towards Mido. It looked like Bikey had a handful of shirt, but referee Webb clearly saw nothing and awards a goal kick.
51 mins - West Ham win the ball back in midfield and have a four-on-three break. Collison breaks forward and shoots, only for his shot to be blocked on the edge of the penalty area.
49 mins - Burnley are creaking a bit, here. Collison comes within a whisker of sending Cole through, only for Carlisle to intercept.
48 mins - Well, that would have been one heck of an introduction. Parker and Cole combine to find Mido, and the African zips a left-foot shot narrowly wide of the near post. Jensen was diving full-length for that one.
47 mins - Cole eludes an aerial challenge from Bikey and shoots on the turn, but his effort is weak and rolls well wide of the target. In fact, it doesn't even reach the goalline before Jensen collects the ball.
46 mins - Bikey brings down Cole ten yards inside the Burnley half. Noble lofts the free-kick to the edge of the penalty area where Mido collects, but his low cross is hacked clear by Mears.
A half-time change from the Hammers, with Mido replacing McCarthy. The Egyptian is on for his debut and takes his place on the centre circle as Burnley get the second half underway.
Half-time score - Burnley 1-0 West Ham United
47 mins - Bikey brings down Parker, Green smashes the ball upfield and Webb blows for half-time.
45 mins - We're going to have at least two added minutes...
44 mins - Collison is penalised for bringing down Elliott wide on the right. Fox jogs over, but it is Blake who curls the ball over and Upson heads clear. Blake crosses and gain and Collison intercepts. West Ham break through Parker, who finds Faubert, but the Frenchman's cross is too high for McCarthy. Cole picks up possession, but his cross is easily cleared.
42 mins - Cole wins a flick-on from Green's long punt and Mears needlessly hacks the ball out for a corner. A late chance for the Hammers in this first half. Noble lofts the corner over and it flicks off the head of Tomkins to safety.
41 mins - Behrami finds Faubert wide on the right. He beats Fox to the byline, but can only cross the ball too close to Jensen, who falls on it at his near post.
40 mins - McCarthy is back on, by the way. He did receive some treatment to what looked like his left leg, however. Back in the action, the South African nearly makes the most of a short backpass, only for Jensen to rush out of his goal and clear the ball to Mears.
38 mins - McCarthy is off the pitch momentarily for treatment and Burnley nearly take advantage through Elliott, only for the midfielder's shot to be deflected wide for another corner. Fox takes and Faubert and Spector combine to head the ball clear.
33 mins - McCarthy comes within a yard of scoring his first West Ham goal, latching on to Parker's pass before rounding Jensen, only for Cort to dash back and clear the striker's shot off the line. From the resulting corner, Burnley complete the clearance.
31 mins - Cole again, bursting past two defenders and shooting low to Jensen's near post, where the goalkeeper stoops low to collect.
30 mins - Burnley have a reputation for being a good footballing side and it is certainly well-founded. The Clarets are very comfortable in possession and loathe to hit long balls forward, which is a bit ironic considering where their goal came from.
26 mins - So close to a clear sight of goal there as Noble and McCarthy combine, only for the latter's cross to be behind Cole and cleared by Fox. Moments later, Collison gets free on the left, cuts inside Elliott and hammers the ball goalwards, only for it to be blocked on the edge of the six-yard box by Jensen. That was close to an equaliser.
25 mins - A first sight of goal for McCarthy as Cole and Parker combine and the South African receives the ball inside the penalty area. Unfortunately, after controlling on his chest, the striker can only poke his shot well wide of the far post.
21 mins - Cole and McCarthy are working hard to get their partnership going as the former wins a flick-on that the South African nearly latches on to. Seconds later, Spector wins a free-kick in a dangerous position wide on the left. Noble's free-kick does not beat the first defender, though.
19 mins - Cole tries to bring the Hammers back into proceedings single-handedly, hurdling two challenges before being tackled by Clarke Carlisle on the touchline. That was better from the big England man.
17 mins - Burnley are still playing the better football here, and the goal has given their players a real confidence boost. West Ham need to ride out the storm and pass their way back into the match.
14 mins - GOAL! Burnley take the lead through Nugent. A long raking pass out of defence by left-back Fox bounces past Upson and the England striker cleverly lobs it over Green and into the net.
12 mins - The PA announcer has just called for the driver of West Ham's team coach to return to his vehicle. I wonder why? Perhaps he has parked on a double yellow line? Whatever it is, Zola is suitably amused and breaks into a broad grin.
11 mins - Tomkins brings down Nugent midway inside the West Ham half and receives a talking-to from Webb. Faubert heads the free-kick clear before being caught by Cort, so to speak.
10 mins - Mark Noble has West Ham's first shot on target from 20 yards, but it is straight at Jensen, and the big Dane safely gathers the ball into his midriff.
9 mins - Bikey is making a proper nuisance of himself before conceding a free-kick by bringing down Behrami. The home fans enjoyed the Cameroonian's endeavour, though.
8 mins - West Ham launch their first real attack, with Collison and Noble combining to send Faubert free down the right. The Frenchman opts to cross first-time, but his centre is just too close to Jensen.
5 mins - Elliott and Mears combine down the right and force Spector into conceding another corner. Fox and Blake work it short before the left-back lofts it over straight into the hands of Green.
3 mins - Burnley have made a decent start, with Mears featuring heavily down the right flank before Nugent wins a corner. New boy Danny Fox swings the corner over and Upson rises to head it clear. Referee Webb had spottedn infringement, though, and awards West Ham a free-kick.
1 min - We're off and running... There is a cracking atmosphere inside the stadium, to be honest, with both sets of fans enjoying a good sing-song. McCarthy wins his first free-kick as a West Ham player as Andre Bikey brings him down.
3pm - The two teams are ready to kick-off and the ball is on the centre-spot. Burnley go into a huddle as Cole and McCarthy prepare to get us underway...
2.58pm - The two teams are out on the pitch and go through the usual pre-match handshakes. McCarthy has a big smile on his face as he goes around and shares a high-five and embrace with his new team-mates.
2.55pm - The little TV screens in the Press Box show joint-chairman David Gold taking his seat in the stand. Will he see his first West Ham victory as the club's co-owner this afternoon?
2.53pm - Just to let you all know, the Under-18s lost 3-2 at Norwich City this lunchtime. Callum Driver was the scorer of both of West Ham's goals as they nearly fought back from a 3-0 half-time deficit. A full match report and reaction from Academy Director Tony Carr will appear on whufc.com later today.
2.51pm - Oasis anthem 'What's The Story'? provides the send-off as both teams head for the tunnel. Mentioning the tunnel, it is behind the goal here at Turf Moor, so the two teams will actually come out from between the two sets of fans in the David Fishwick Stand. You don't see that very often, do you?
2.50pm - Burnley are obviously one of those clubs who really value their goalmouths, as they have wheeled in two full-size goals for the team's to practice in away from the six-yard box. Both sets of players are making full use of them, with goalkeepers Brian Jensen and Robert Green being put through their paces by their respective legion of strikers. Behind Green's goal at the David Fishwick Stand end, the 2,400 visiting supporters are making a right din. Unfortunately, it is being drowned out by The Farm's 'Altogether Now', which is blaring out over the Turf Moor PA system. Incidentally, the PA system itself was replaced following Burnley's promotion to the Premier League last summer, so I don't blame them for making full use of it.
2.45pm - West Ham have an enviable recent record against Burnley, having not lost to the Clarets since 9 September 1978. In the intervening period, the Hammers are unbeaten in ten matches against the Lancashire side, winning eight of them. To give you some idea how long it is since Burnley beat West Ham, David Cross scored both goals for the visitors in a 3-2 defeat here back in September 1978.
2.40pm - A quick Wikipedia check of other famous sons and daughters of Burnley reveals that rugby league star Paul Sculthorpe was born in the town, as was the superbly-named former England women's cricket international Betty Snowball.
2.35pm - It just occurred to me that Burnley Cricket Club was the first club of England fast bowler James Anderson, who no doubt bowled his first bouncer just a few yards from where I am sat. Back to the football, and Burnley have not won in 12 league matches, a run stretching back to their Hallowe'en victory over Hull City. Since Brian Laws took charge following the departure of Owen Coyle for nearby Bolton Wanderers last month, the Clarets have lost four straight games.
2.30pm - The atmosphere is building nicely on a misty, cold day at Turf Moor. Both teams are out on the pitch going through their pre-match routines. I must say, the view from the top of the James Hargreaves Stand is spectacular. To my right, the old cricket ground is behind the David Fishwick Stand. Ahead of me , row upon row of terraced houses can be seen stretching off into the distance. Burnley is a traditional football club, having been formed in 1882. The club moved into Turf Moor the following year, 1883, joining the resident Burnley Cricket Club.
Gianfranco Zola hands Benni McCarthy his West Ham United debut against Burnley at Turf Moor.
The South Africa striker will partner Carlton Cole in attack, with the England forward making his first Hammers start since the 5-3 home win over the Clarets at the Boleyn Ground on 28 November.
McCarthy, who comes in for Radoslav Kovac, is one of two players to come into Zola's side in Lancashire, with Scott Parker replacing Alessandro Diamanti in midfield. The Italian received a knock in training on Thursday, and is hoping to be back for the Barclays Premier League visit of Birmingham City on Wednesday evening.
Goalkeeper Robert Green and the back four of Julien Faubert, James Tomkins, captain Matthew Upson and Jonathan Spector will start together for the fourth consecutive league match. McCarthy's fellow deadline-day arrivals, Egypt striker Mido and Brazil forward Ilan, will be among the substitutes.
For Burnley, no fewer than two of new manager Brian Laws' January signings feature in the hosts' starting lineup. Left-back Danny Fox and centre-back Leon Cort have arrived from Celtic and Stoke City respectively. ight-back Tyrone Mears faces his old club, having made six first-team appearances for the Hammers during his single season in east London in 2006/07.
This afternoon's referee has been changed, with Steve Bennett being replaced by 2010 FIFA World Cup-bound Howard Webb.
Burnley: Jensen, Mears, Carlisle, Cort, Fox (Edgar 86), Blake (Patterson 72), McDonald, Bikey, Elliott, Fletcher, Nugent (Thompson 88)
Subs: Weaver, Duff, Eagles, Cork
West Ham United: Green, Faubert, Tomkins, Upson, Spector, Behrami, Parker, Noble (Ilan 77), Collison (Stanislas 62), Cole, McCarthy (Mido 46)
Subs: Stech, Ilunga, Da Costa, Kovac