WEST HAM UNITED v PETERBOROUGH UNITED
npower CHAMPIONSHIP
SATURDAY 24 SEPTEMBER 2011
KICK-OFF: 3PM
FULL AUDIO COVERAGE - WEST HAM TV
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Final score - West Ham United 1-0 Peterborough United
97 mins - Finally! The ball is belted upfield and the final whistle goes. The Hammers are up to fourth and within a point of the automatic promotion places. On Tuesday, Ipswich Town will be the visitors to the Boleyn Ground. Before then, of course, whufc.com and West Ham TV will have exclusive post-match reaction from today's game.
96 mins - Last chance... Lansbury is booked for a foul on Little and Posh have an opportunity to deliver a free-kick from midway inside the West Ham half. McCann delivers and somehow West Ham scramble the ball away not once but twice.
95 mins - All the other Championship games are finished. If things stay as they are here, West Ham are up to fourth in the table, two points behind leaders Southampton.
93 mins - West Ham's Taylor needs to come off. It looks like his left ankle. Tomkins comes on to replace the winger. Peterborough restart with a free-kick on halfway, but Alcock simply lifts the ball high into the hands of Green.
91 mins - Peterborough eventually win a goal kick off Bentley. We'll have four minutes of added time. Daniel Kearns comes on for his Posh debut in place of Frecklington. This is the former West Ham man's Peterborough debut...
90 mins - Carew wins a corner as Olly Lee scores his second goal for Dagenham & Redbridge, but they remain 2-1 down at Northampton in added time. The corner comes to nothing other than a succession of West Ham throw-ins.
88 mins - Time is running down and neither goalkeeper is being given much work to do, to be honest. Carew controls a ball well before being fouled by McCann. The free-kick comes over and Reid wins it, but his loops harmlessly into the hands of Jones.
85 mins - Bentley fancies this one, but his free-kick thuds into the wall.
84 mins - Lansbury feeds the ball into the feet of Carew and attempts to get on the return pass, only to be blocked off by McCann. The former Hammer is booked.
83 mins - Bentley's cross is put out for a throw by Bennett. The same player takes the throw-in to Noble, whose touch is not great and his volley flies well over the top.
81 mins - Bentley finds Carew with a 40-yard pass. The Norwegian holds the ball up superbly before feeding Taylor in space on the left. He shoots towards the near post, where Jones makes the catch in front of his face.
79 mins - Bentley again. This time dropping his shoulder and working space for a shot on his left foot. Jones flies to his left to get a hand to the ball and divert it around the post. Taylor takes the corner, but it's too close to McCann who heads clear.
77 mins - Bentley wins a free-kick wide on the right. He takes it quickly to Noble, who sizes up his options before swapping passes with Carew and winning a corner. It's cleared, but West Ham keep up the pressure and Bentley whips in another super cross. Zakuani gets a flicked header on the ball and it flies out for a throw.
76 mins - Today's attendance is 29,895. Before today, the season average was 29,112.
75 mins - A decent link-up down the left involving Nolan, Taylor and McCartney ends with the full-back sending over a cross for Carew to attack. Zakuani gets there first and the Hammers striker fouls him as he heads clear. Tomlin has to go off again and Paul Taylor is on to replace him.
73 mins - The Peterborough physio is on again, this time for Tomlin.
71 mins - Bentley's first real involvement sees him draw two defenders before sending a reverse pass to the unmarked O'Brien. He looks up and slides the ball along the face of the six-yard box. Carew goes in, but Posh scramble the ball clear.
69 mins - We have a break in play as McCann has the physio on. The two sets of players take advantage of the stoppage to grab a drink on the touchline.
67 mins - Faubert goes off and Bentley comes on. Big Sam gives Faubert a firm handshake on the way off. He has given his all, has the No18.
66 mins - Peterborough break forward in numbers and the ball drops to McCann. He shoots from about 30 yards and Green makes the save. Just. It looks like the ball might have moved around a bit in the air there.
66 mins - The second corner is deeper. Reid wins it and heads back into the six-yard box. The ball is headed miles up into the air and Carew is getting ready underneath it before goalkeeper Jones punches clear. Good keeping.
65 mins - West Ham go back on the offensive and Carew is everywhere. He plays the ball down the line for Faubert. His cross is half charged-down before Taylor wins the corner. Taylor himself takes and the ball flicks off a head and behind on the far side.
63 mins - Peterborough are still carrying a threat. First, Faye has to make a fine block on the edge of the area, then Tomlin shoots powerfully from the edge of the box. Thankfully, it's straight at Green. Phew!
62 mins - Another chance, this time as a cross from the left flashes in front of both Carew and the flying Faubert and behind for a goal kick.
61 mins - Carew. The Norwegian holds off his marker before turning on the corner of the box and shooting over. To be fair, he was leaning back and slightly off-balance there as he hit it. The Hammers were practising shooting from that precise angle before the game and Carew was belting them into the top corner.
60 mins - Noble prompts away again, moving the ball this way and that before O'Brien and Lansbury combine down the right. The ball is laid off to Faubert, but Carew can't direct his header on target from the Frenchman's cross.
57 mins - Carew gets a chance to stretch his legs from Noble's pass. He holds of Zakuani before crossing low towards Taylor, but Bennett is there to clear inside his own penalty area.
57 mins - You can never accuse Faubert of hiding in a game. Moments after ballooning a cross miles behind for a goal kick, the No18 pops up again but his shot is dragged wide.
56 mins - That's Cole's final contribution as he is replaced by John Carew. Cole gees up his team-mates before leaving the field.
53 mins - That's the Hammers' best move of the half there. O'Brien gets forward down the right before Taylor finds the over-lapping Faubert. He slams a cross in at head-height and Cole gets in front of Zakuani. The header flies over the bar.
52 mins - Frank Nouble has netted his second goal in as many loan appearances for League Two Gillingham. He has the Gills 2-1 up at home to Burton Albion.
51 mins - Posh come close again. This time Frecklington is involved before the ball is scooped into the path of Boyd. It's a clear shooting opportunity, but he can't find the target. The ball hits the turf and bounces well wide.
50 mins - There you go. After five minutes of West Ham controlling possession and territory, substitute Tomlin has space to run into in front of the back four. He comes forward and shoots from about 25 yards, but drags the ball wide.
49 mins - The game has slipped back into a similar pattern as before the break. West Ham look the more likely, but Peterborough still look threatening in patches.
46 mins - The Hammers kick-off and immediately win a corner off Alcock. It is flicked on by Faye, but the ball rolls away for a throw on the far side.
Peterborough make a half-time change, with Lee Tomlin on for Tunnicliffe.
Half-time score - West Ham United 1-0 Peterborough United
47 mins - Into added time at the end of added time and the whistle goes for half-time. Join us again shortly for the second period...
45 mins - Fantastic move by the Hammers. Nolan finds O'Brien in space on the right. He plays the ball forward to Lansbury, who then plays the ball to Faubert, whose flick is back into the path of the on-rushing O'Brien. He drives a low cross across the face of goal, but Cole can't get on the end of it. We'll have at least one added minute.
41 mins - McCartney wins a corner but Peterborough clear. West Ham win the ball back through Reid before Noble finds Faubert on the edge of the box. He pokes the ball back for Lansbury, who curls a shot a yard over the top.
39 mins - Nolan gets goalside of the Peterborough defence. Bennett goes with him and the captain goes to ground. He jumps up appealing for a penalty, but referee Tony Bates waves his arms. Nothing given.
38 mins - Cole does well to win McCartney's long ball forward. He attacks the box and then opens his body up before curling a shot wide of the far post. Unlucky.
37 mins - McCann crosses deep from the corner and Bennett wins it. His header looks odds-on to drop on to a team-mate's boot eight yards out until Reid gets a glancing header on the ball. It's only a small touch, but it's a vital one.
36 mins - Left-back Alcock gets forward and crosses into the box, where Reid puts the ball behind.
34 mins - Cole wins a header on the edge of the box and the ball drops to Nolan. He tries to thread a low shot through a forest of legs, but it is cut out.
31 mins - Lansbury has possession about 30 yards out and shoots. It's a powerful hit, but charged down. The Hammers come again, with Noble to the fore in the centre of the pitch, but when Lansbury has space, his chipped cross for Cole is far too close to Jones.
29 mins - West Ham don't clear their lines properly and Frecklington gets past O'Brien and crosses low. The ball breaks to Boyd, who curls a left-footer just past the angle of post and crossbar. A warning shot, if you like.
28 mins - Jones' hurried clearance finds Boyd in the centre circle. He turns away and runs 20 yards before shooting from long range. The ball flies well wide.
26 mins - Boyd is a decent player, you know. He spins and then finds Tunnicliffe. Peterborough build down their right and the ball is crossed by Frecklington. It's low towards Tunnicliffe, but his touch isn't great and Faye is able to shepherd the ball out for a goal kick.
25 mins - Noble switches play well to McCartney, who finds Taylor. The No14 drives his cross to the far post, where Faubert challenges and then wins a corner. Zakuani heads clear.
23 mins - Boyd threatens, but he is crowded out by Lansbury before Noble tries to send Faubert clear. He looks to get goalside of his marker, but is penalised for handball by the assistant referee.
21 mins - West Ham have assumed control of this game. Another decent move down the right ends with Faubert's cross being headed away by Zakuani. Taylor crosses from the left, but he over-hits it. Goal kick.
18 mins - A chance for Cole as Noble crosses from wide on the right. It's another accurate header, but again it lacks the power and direction to beat Jones.
16 mins - A comedy moment as the assistant referee drops his flag as he waves for a free-kick for a foul on Faye. West Ham take it quickly and Nolan releases O'Brien, who charges into the Posh half and sees his low cross hacked away by Zakuani.
14 mins - Taylor's throw finds McCartney. He crosses high to the far post where Faubert is leaning back but beats Alcock in the air. His header is on target, but lacks the power to beat Jones. Good effort from the Frenchman, in the circumstances. That was a difficult header.
13 mins - Now is the time for the home fans to make plenty of noise and inspire their side to score a second. If the Hammers can go 2-0 up, it will leave Peterborough with a massive mountain to climb.
11 mins - GOAL! Noble runs up and slams his shot low to the goalkeeper's left. Jones goes the wrong way and West Ham lead! Two penalties in two home games for the No16.
10 mins - Some decent build-up and West Ham have their reward by way of a penalty as Lansbury is shoved over in the box by Frecklington as he tries to get on the end of Faubert's deflected low cross!
8 mins - Peterborough attack down the middle of the pitch through Sinclair. The ball breaks off a defender back to Frecklington, who shoots first-time. It's a floating effort and Green grabs the ball above his head.
7 mins - The home fans are trying their best to gee their team up, but so far the flowing football has not arrived. Plenty of time left, of course.
5 mins - They've started well here, have The Posh. Boyd wins a corner, but when McCann crosses it is headed clear.
3 mins - That's better. McCartney and Taylor combine and Nolan bursts into the box but his low cross is cut out.
2 min - 62 seconds in and Peterborough could be ahead but for Robert Green. McCann's superb corner comes to the near post and Bennett wins the header unmarked, but Green makes a fine save. The ball is hacked back to McCann, but his second cross is too high.
3.03pm - We're off... Peterborough try a weird kick-off routine as about six players storm forward from the off, but it comes to nothing. The Posh win the ball back again quickly though and Sinclair wins a corner off Faye.
3.02pm - Peterborough will kick-off shooting towards the Bobby Moore Stand end of the stadium. It's clouded over above the stadium - let's hope it rains goals for the Hammers over the next 90 minutes...
2.58pm - 'Bubbles' starts to play and the two teams emerge from the tunnel, led by captains Kevin Nolan and George Boyd.
2.55pm - England Under-21 coach and former Hammer Stuart Pearce is here today, no doubt interested in the progress of Henri Lansbury. The on-loan Arsenal man recently bagged two goals in a 6-0 UEFA European U21 Championship qualifier against Azerbaijan and has looked in prime form since moving to the Boleyn Ground in August.
2.50pm - West Ham's band of loanees are in action this afternoon, too, of course - many of whom have come through the Academy. Jordan Brown (Aldershot Town), Callum McNaughton (AFC WImbledon), Frank Nouble (Gillingham), Olly Lee (Dagenham & Redbridge) and Rob Hall (Oxford United) are all starting, while Cristian Montano (Notts County) and Ahmed Abdulla (Swindon Town) are on the bench.
2.45pm - Academy Director Tony Carr has just arrived at the Boleyn Ground fresh from the Under-18s maintaining their great start to the season. The Hammers fought back from two down to draw 2-2 with Southampton at Little Heath this morning. Kieran Sadlier and Blair Turgott were on target for the young Hammers, who had won five out of five before today. Only a superb save from the Saints keeper late on denied them a sixth straight victory.
2.30pm - A couple of familiar faces are here with Peterborough today. Former West Ham winger Mark Robson is now in his second season on the coaching staff at London Road, while another wideman Daniel Kearns has recently signed for The Posh from League of Ireland side Dundalk. Robson made 47 league appearances for the club between August 1992 and November 1993. Kearns spent three years at the club - two as a scholar and one as a professional - between 2007 and 2010, but did not make a first-team appearance.
2.10pm - So, one change from the starting XI at Millwall last weekend, with Winston Reid coming in for James Tomkins. Tomkins, of course, was injured in that game but has returned to training and is named among the substitutes. For Peterborough, Tommy Rowe celebrates his 23rd birthday by being called into the starting XI in place of Lee Tomlin.
2.05pm - The teams are in...
West Ham United: Green, O'Brien, Reid, Faye, McCartney, Noble, Lansbury Nolan, Faubert, Taylor, Cole
Subs: Boffin, Tomkins, Bentley, Baldock, Carew
Peterborough United: Jones, Little, Bennett, Zakuani, Alcock, Tunnicliffe, Rowe, Frecklington, McCann, Boyd, Sinclair
Subs: Lewis, Wootton, Kearns, Tomlin, Taylor
Good afternoon and welcome to the Boleyn Ground for this afternoon's npower Championship fixture between West Ham United and Peterborough United.
Attendance-wise, today's game pits the biggest club in the division against the smallest, so it will be up to the large Boleyn Ground crowd to get behind the Hammers, be their 12th man and drive Sam Allardyce's side on to victory.
Should West Ham win, they could rise as high as second in the table above Middlesbrough, Brighton & Hove Albion and Derby County. Having recorded their first home victory last time out against Portsmouth, Big Sam's men have every reason to be confident of picking up another three points.
Another reason to be confident is that Peterborough have never drawn, let alone won against the Hammers. In the two previous meetings between the clubs, in the old Division One in 1992/92, West Ham ran out as winners on both occasions.
The hosts are also on a six-match league winning run and have made their best start to a league season in eight years. Peterborough, meanwhile, have not won away in the league in their previous six attempts and have not won consecutive matches at this level since March 2010.
Team news-wise, James Tomkins is hoping to shake off a mild groin injury suffered in the 0-0 draw at Millwall last Saturday to take his place at the heart of the defence. Sam Baldock and David Bentley are pushing for full debuts, but Frederic Piquionne is suspended, while Gary O'Neil is out with an ankle injury.
For Peterborough, Gabriel Zakuani and Lee Tomlin are hoping to be fit enough to play, but striker Nicky Ajose was loaned to Scunthorpe United on Friday.
The starting lineups and substitutes will be announced at shortly after 2pm. They will be published first here and on the club's official twitter feed.
West Ham United: Green, O'Brien, Reid, Faye, McCartney, Noble, Lansbury Nolan, Faubert (Bentley 67), Taylor (Tomkins 90), Cole (Carew 56)
Subs: Boffin, Baldock
Peterborough United: Jones, Little, Bennett, Zakuani, Alcock, Tunnicliffe (Tomlin 46, Taylor 75), Rowe, Frecklington (Kearns 90), McCann, Boyd, Sinclair
Subs: Lewis, Wootton