BLACKPOOL v WEST HAM UNITED
BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE
WEDNESDAY 2 FEBRUARY 2011
KICK-OFF: 8PM
FULL COVERAGE ON WEST HAM TV
iPHONE APP I TWITTER I FACEBOOK I PODCAST I PREVIEW
Final score - Blackpool 1-3 West Ham United
93 mins - A long ball goes out for a West Ham goal kick. Surely that's it? It is all over as Green punts the ball upfield and referee Attwell blows for full-time. A second away league win of the season is secured! West Ham are up to 18th and level on points with Birmingham. Piquionne throws his shirt into the away fans and is swiftly joined by Grant, who lobs his claret and blue scarf into the jubilant away fans. Avram then responds to the chants and gives the supporters a wave as he jogs across the pitch. Don't forget to log on to West Ham TV and whufc.com for exclusive post-match reaction and photographs. West Ham return to action on Sunday when Birmingham visit the Boleyn Ground. A victory then and the Hammers are out of the bottom three.
93 mins - Into the final minute... Boa Morte loses the ball and Harewood shoots. Green thrusts out his arm to save before Jacobsen punts the ball down the touchline.
92 mins - The Tangerines win a throw and the cross comes in and Reid rises high to head clear.
90 mins - Great work by Piquionne to win a free-kick on halfway. West Ham are taking a while over the set-play, as you might expect. Boa Morte collects the ball and wins a corner. The Blackpool fans are starting to leave as three minutes of added time is announced. Parker collects the corner and wins another one. Another short corner is played off Adam for another corner! Good for the stats, if nothing else! Finally Adam nicks the ball back off Parker for a goal kick. The crowd tonight is 15,095 - about 1,200 of them are going to enjoy their drive down the M6 or their night out in Blackpool!
89 mins - Piquionne and O'Neil keep the ball inside the Blackpool half for a while before the latter concedes a free-kick. The visiting supporters are starting to believe...
87 mins - Beattie is a real handful in there as he chests a cross down to Campbell. O'Neil gets to him and stabs the ball out for a corner. It's not a good one though and Piquionne clears.
86 mins - Never do things the easy way... Jacobsen's back-pass is harmless, but Green makes a hash and slices the ball backwards. He scampers back and clears for a throw. Blackpool come again but Harewood cannot control his shot from 18 yards and it flies high into the stand.
84 mins - Obinna is replaced by Luis Boa Morte, while Keane is replaced by Radoslav Kovac. West Ham have a throw, by the way.
83 mins - Reid concedes a corner and Adam finds Carney on the edge of the area. Thankfully, Bridge is there to make a heroic block.
82 mins - Blackpool certainly haven't given this up as Taylor-Fletcher rises at the far post and heads back across goal. There is nobody there to apply the finish and Bridge clears. It's one-way traffic at the moment.
79 mins - Adam picks up the ball about 30 yards out but his measured strike flies a few yards wide of the post. He has superb technique, does the Tangerines' No26.
78 mins - Blackpool break and a deep cross finds Carney. He crosses and Tomkins initially misses his kick before making amends. Hearts in mouths time for the visiting fans again.
76 mins - Noble finds Keane with a quick free-kick and the No34 forces Kingson into a smart save. The corner is wasted by Noble.
75 mins - A second ball rolls into the middle of the pitch from somewhere! It doesn't affect Parker's concentration as he sweeps the ball wide left for Obinna. The No33 fancies a hat-trick but his shot is from an impossible angle and flies out for a goal kick. Saying that, no angle is impossible for Obinna at present!
74 mins - Harewood holds off Parker and beats Bridge on his outside, but his cross-shot is an easy claim for Green. West Ham have Freddie Sears warming up.
73 mins - West Ham have a throw and Piquionne and Keane almost work an opening for Noble on the edge of the box, but Baptiste is there to intercept.
71 mins - Cripes! Beattie goes down in the box but Attwell gives nothing. Parker finally gets control of the ball and is fouled. A chance to draw breath after another ridiculous period of action. West Ham simply have to keep possession better to lift the pressure Blackpool are putting on them.
69 mins - Bridge cannot prevent himself from conceding a corner. Piquionne heads clear again. Noble and Keane combine and the Irish captain forces Kingson to come out from his goal and concede a throw.
68 mins - Vaughan takes the kick instead and his effort cannons back off the crossbar with Green beaten. Somehow, West Ham bring the ball clear through Obinna. Blackpool are all over the Hammers at the moment.
67 mins - West Ham have lost their way here. A long ball towards Beattie leads to a foul by Tomkins and another shooting chance for that man Adam.
66 mins - Carney has pushed on down the left. I think Blackpool may have gone three-at-the-back but I'm not 100 per cent sure.
64 mins - That's a bit soft. Taylor-Fletcher falls under a challenge from O'Neil. Adam to deliver... Piquionne heads powerfully clear. Obinna is found by Parker but chooses to run instead of pass and gives the ball away.
63 mins - Beattie is involved straight away, beating Tomkins in the air. The ball drops back to the striker, but his shot is blocked by Jacobsen before being brought to safety by Parker. West Ham break through Noble, but he delays his pass too long and Obinna is offside.
61 mins - Beattie is on for Beattie. The away fans sing Harewood's name.
60 mins - Reid is replaced by Harewood.
60 mins - Harewood and Beattie are ready to come on. First Obinna hares off down the left before conceding a goal kick.
58 mins - The same two players are involved as Noble is felled and Parker gets some retribution with a strong tackle on Vaughan. Parker is booked for the challenge, but it's West Ham's free-kick.
57 mins - Parker and Noble show some neat footwork to bring the ball out of defence after Reid had stopped an encouraging run into the penalty area from Varney.
55 mins - Ian Holloway has sent Harewood and Beattie out to warm up along the touchline. It might not be too long until we see one or both of the strikers.
54 mins - Finally, there is a lull in the goalmouth action as West Ham have a free-kick inside their own half. Green belts it upfield and the wind carries it out for a goal kick.
52 mins - So close again for Keane as he lets the ball drop inside the area and a clearance ricochets off his shin and loops over the crossbar.
51 mins - That's a fantastic chance for No4. Parker nicks the ball and finds Piquionne. He plays the ball to Keane and looks for the return. Keane tries to bend it with the outside of his right foot, but it's just too strong.
49 mins - Blackpool come again and Parker is forced to block a shot behind. The corner is whipped in by Adam but Baptiste's header flies high and wide. This game is showing absolutely no sign of slowing down at all.
48 mins - Blackpool have a corner, but Tomkins clears before Green pounces on the follow-up shot.
47 mins - Keane flicks the ball to Piquionne and he cuts inside one defender before checking back on to his right foot when the pass to Obinna was on. Piquionne steadies himself but is challenged as he shoots. He wants a penalty, but I'm not sure the referee could see. Nothing given.
46 mins - We're back underway here at Bloomfield Road...
Blackpool make a half-time change, replacing Cathcart with Ian Evatt at the heart of their defence.
Half-time score - Blackpool 1-3 West Ham United
48 mins - After three added minutes, referee Attwell brings a breathless first half to a close.
45 mins - We're going to have three added minutes. Parker dives for the corner and his header hits a Blackpool player before flying behind. Goal kick. And breathe...
44 mins - This is a fantastic game for the neutral. Blackpool win a free-kick and the ball bounces around in the West Ham box for a while before Keane punts it upfield. Blackpool come again and win a corner off Jacobsen.
43 mins - GOAL! OBINNA! That is a ridiculous goal. Obinna picks the ball up 30 yards out and belts it into the top left-hand corner with his left foot. Amazing goal.
42 mins - GOAL! Adam scores direct from the corner. His low effort beats the first man and Obinna swings a leg and completely misses the ball. Green dives but he's too late and the ball rolls into the net. Unbelievable.
42 mins - Adam's free-kick takes a nick off Parker's head and goes behind for a corner.
41 mins - Adam takes on Parker and is brought down about 30 yards out. Chance to shoot for the Scot. This is a decent angle for his left foot.
37 mins - GOAL! KEANE! Noble picks out Piquionne with the free-kick and he heads down to Obinna. The Nigerian's shot is blocked by Kingson but Obinna reacts quickest and shoots again. Kingson parries and Keane buries the loose ball with a right-foot volley into the corner.
36 mins - West Ham break down their right and O'Neil hangs a cross up for Keane. Kingson comes and cleans out Cathcart and the ball with his fist. West Ham keep up the pressure and Parker is fouled.
35 mins - Reid crosses, I think, but the ball dips and looks to be on its way in before Green tips the ball over for a corner. The delivery comes in and Baptiste powers a header over the top.
33 mins - Amazingly, Tomkins is also injured and receives some treatment. Reid will replace Gabbidon.
31 mins - Carney crosses and Bridge heads behind for a corner. Charlie Adam takes the corner short before getting the ball back and being challenged by Noble. The ball spins to another Blackpool player, whose cross is too strong and flies behind for a goal kick. Before we re-start, Gabbidon is going to need to be replaced.
30 mins - Manchester City are back in front at Birmingham through Aleksandr Kolarov.
29 mins - Bridge flies down the left but his low cross takes a nick off a boot and is safely gathered by Kingson. He can't keep out of the game at the moment, the Ghanaian.
28 mins - Kingson collects a back-pass before deciding to dribble past Piquionne. The home fans shout at their goalkeeper in frustration.
27 mins - O'Neil is penalised for handball and Adam finds Taylor-Fletcher in space inside the penalty area. He crosses, but Gabbidon is there and Bridge completes the clearance.
24 mins - GOAL! OBINNA! Well he scored a couple of fortunate goals on Sunday and he's done it again tonight! The Nigerian collects a deep corner before twisting past Carney and shooting low to the near post. Kingson should save easily, but he lets the ball slip through his grasp and inside the near post.
22 mins - Bridge gets past his man and crosses. Cathcart gets a foot to the ball and Kingson can only claw it behind. The corner is headed over his own bar by Varney.
21 mins - I wouldn't say West Ham are dominating but they're definitely on top. Bridge gets to the byline and crosses. The ball falls to O'Neil, who tees up Noble. His shot is blocked to Parker, who curls his effort high and wide. Half-chance, that.
20 mins - West Ham are pressing really high up the pitch. Tomkins chases Campbell way back into his own half, joined by Noble. The No16 slides in and appears to win the ball, but he is penalised for a foul...
18 mins - O'Neil, Noble and Obinna combine before Keane tries to get in behind. His first touch is a bit heavy but he still wins a corner. It's taken short to Noble, but his cross is cleared at the far post, where Obinna was waiting to pounce.
17 mins - Campbell thinks he has broken the offside trap but he is a yard off as he scampers through. A few home fans don't like the decision, but it was the correct one.
16 mins - O'Neil is looking very lively down the right wing. He is an all-action player whose legs never stop moving. West Ham attack from a free-kick on halfway and Obinna's cross is hacked clear from inside the six-yard box.
14 mins - Keane gets goal-side of Baptiste before being brought down by the defender. The flag is up for offside, but a replay shows he was level...
13 mins - Nikola Zigic has equalised for Birmingham against Manchester City. Back here, O'Neil and Jacobsen combine, but the Dane's cross is cut out. In Bishop's Stortford, Dylan Tombides has equalised for the reserves against West Brom.
11 mins - Bridge comes forward down the left before releasing Obinna, but his cross is half-blocked and Kingson claims.
10 mins - Reid steals the ball from Noble before crossing from the right wing, but it's too strong. Reid looks like he has freedom to roam wherever he pleases.
9 mins - This is a breathless game so far as Vaughan breaks past Noble. Tomkins gets in a strong challenge to stop the midfielder in his tracks.
8 mins - Piquionne plays a neat one-two with Parker before trying to play in Keane, but his pass is too strong.
7 mins - Bridge and Obinna combine and the latter finds Keane. Piquionne makes a run but the No34 instead tries to pick out O'Neil, but his pass is easily cut out by Carney.
6 mins - There is no way this game is going to finish 0-0... O'Neil sends a raking ball over the top for Keane, but it's too strong and skips off the wet turf through to Kingson.
4 mins - West Ham keep up the pressure and O'Neil lets fly from 25 yards but it's too close to Kingson and the goalkeeper gathers diving to his right. Blackpool break immediately and the ball is cleared to Reid, but his low shot flies a long distance wide of the far post.
3 mins - The home side are bang up for this as Varney goes down under a challenge from Gabbidon, but he's already been flagged offside. West Ham break and Keane does well to hold up the ball and find O'Neill. Piquionne crosses towards Keane and the ball bounces off a defender to Obinna, who forces Kingson to parry.
2 mins - Nothing from the visitors so far as Blackpool try and find a way through, but Jacobsen is there on a couple of occasions to clear. Keane gets his first touch, but he cannot play in Piquionne.
1 min - Reid wins a corner inside 30 seconds off Noble. The Irishman will take the kick himself and Gabbidon clears a low cross at the near post.
8pm - Vaughan and Reid get the game up and running...
7.59pm - Adam's name gets the loudest of cheers from the home fans. The Scotland midfielder has been the main man in Tangerine this season and Blackpool will be delighted to have kept hold of him in the face of interest from Liverpool and Tottenham. The hosts will kick-off...
7.57pm - Here come the two teams, led by referee Stuart Attwell and captains Scott Parker and Charlie Adam.
7.54pm - I can tell you that the reserves are 1-0 down at home to West Bromwich Albion at half-time in a game that kicked-off at 7pm at Bishop's Stortford. Let's hope Tony Carr's young side can battle their way back into that one.
7.52pm - An early tonic for the Hammers fans sitting to my left - 2006/07 Hammer of the Year Carlos Tevez has put Manchester City 1-0 up at Birmingham!
7.50pm - Chairman David Gold has made the long trip to the North West for tonight's game. Mr Gold is stood at the entrance to the tunnel and shakes the hand of every player and coach as they make their way back to the Away dressing room. For those fans wondering why Robbie Keane selected the No34 shirt - well, 3 plus 4 equals his favourite No7!
7.47pm - I should mention that Matthew Upson suffered a minor muscle injury in the Carling Cup semi-final second leg at Birmingham City last week. That is the reason for the captain's absence this evening.
7.45pm - Today has been designated 'Stanley Matthews Day' by Blackpool and Stoke City - his former clubs. A short video showing the tricks of the 'Wizard of the Dribble' is playing on the big screen. Matthews was a true giant of the game and played until he was 47!
7.35pm - Everton manager David Moyes is among the spectators here tonight. The Scot is currently enjoying a cup of tea in the warmth of a hospitality box. I don't blame him, because it isn't the warmest out here in the stand!
7.30pm - The two teams are out warming up here at Bloomfield Road. Thankfully, the rain that has fallen on the Fylde Coast during the afternoon has stopped. However it is a cold and blustery night in Blackpool.
7.20pm - A win tonight combined with a defeat for Birmingham City at the hands of Manchester City and a defeat or draw for Wolves at Bolton Wanderers and West Ham are out of the bottom three. Fingers crossed...
7.15pm - Jonathan Spector is out of tonight's game with a minor hamstring strain picked up in training.
7.05pm - The teams are in. See below...
Good evening and welcome to Bloomfield Road for tonight's Barclays Premier League fixture between Blackpool and West Ham United.
This evening's game marks the Hammers' first visit to the home of the Tangerines since February 1971, when Geoff Hurst's goal earned the visitors a 1-1 draw. That season - 1970/71 - ended with Blackpool being relegated and West Ham beating the drop by just one place in the table.
West Ham will be seeking to maintain a decent recent away record in the top-flight, having won at Fulham on Boxing Day and drawn at Blackburn Rovers and Everton in recent weeks. Blackpool, meanwhile, have lost five of their last six league matches and let a two-goal lead slip before going down 3-2 to leaders Manchester United a week ago.
Both clubs have strengthened during the January transfer window. West Ham have brought in Republic of Ireland captain Robbie Keane and Senegal striker Demba Ba, both of whom could make their Hammers debuts this evening, as well as on-loan Manchester City left-back Wayne Bridge and experienced midfielder Gary O'Neil. Blackpool, meanwhile, have drafted in former England striker James Beattie on loan from Rangers and Keane's Republic of Ireland team-mate Andy Reid from Sunderland.
Team news-wise, Keane makes his debut, while Gary O'Neil makes his league bow and fellow new signing Ba is on the bench. Reid makes his Blackpool debut, while Beattie, Jason Puncheon and former Hammer Marlon Harewood are among the replacements.
Scott Parker will make his 100th Premier League appearance for the club, while victory for the visitors would be their 200th since the advent of the Premier League in 1992.
Blackpool: Kingson, Eardley, Cathcart (Evatt 46), Baptiste, Carney, Vaughan, Taylor-Fletcher, Adam, Reid (Harewood 60), Varney (Beattie 61), Campbell
Subs not used: Rachubka, Southern, Grandin, Puncheo
West Ham United: Green, Jacobsen, Tomkins, Gabbidon (Reid 33), Bridge, O'Neil, Parker, Noble, Obinna (Boa Morte 84), Keane (Kovac 84), Piquionne
Subs not used: Boffin, Sears, Cole, Ba