West Ham United PL2 1-1 Stoke City
FT: The referee calls full time on this one, and the Hammers settle for just one point this evening. As dominant as they were, they couldn't breach the Stoke defence for a second time, and it finishes 1-1. The draw does no harm to their play-off chances, and we travel to Newcastle United on Monday in hope of further increasing our chances of finishing in the top five. Over and out from London Stadium.
90+1: Well, Fletcher might have! Knoyle plays a nice ball over the top into the right hand side of the box for the striker but, heading to the byline, the former Manchester United man fires into the side netting.
90: Four added minutes here at London Stadium. Stoke seem very happy with a point, but can the Hammers snatch all three?
88: Holland plays in a teasing cross, and the keeper punches to Makasi on the edge of the box, but the midfielder lashes a volley over.
85: Time's running out! The hosts continue with the pressure, but still nothing to trouble Isted too much.
79: Chance for Fletcher! The forward is slipped in by Knoyle but can't find the target from a tight angle. Double substitution for the Hammers now. Noha Sylvestre and Grady Diangana come on to replace Masuaku and Fernandes.
76: Getting closer. The Hammers put together a couple of good attacks to win two corners. Stoke clear both, but the pressure is on the visitors.
73: Nathan Holland tries his customary cut-in and shoot from the left once again, but it flies a couple of yards wide.
68: Straight into the wall from the Norwegian.
67: Good chance this, for West Ham. A free-kick from about 25 yards out - similar to Kemp's - but this time left of centre. Samuelsen and Holland are behind this...
64: Phew. A real let-off for Moses Makasi. Turning inside his own penalty area, the midfielder tries to play the ball back to keeper Trott but inadvertently plays Devlin straight in on goal. Somehow, the forward misses from six yards.
62: Decent strike by Jarvis from 25 yards, but again it doesn't trouble Trott who catches the effort with ease. Both sides struggling to create any real openings so far in this second period. Patience is key.
55: With Quina injured in that first half, Samuelsen is now the man behind Fletcher and is looking to create things at every opportunity. Nothing quite falling for him yet, however.
52: The Hammers have most certainly started the second half on top. Another couple of chances come and go. First, Isted flaps a cross and Samuelsen gets a chance to shoot, but it's well blocked. Then, Holland comes inside as he loves to do and fires it just wide of the far post. Encouraging!
50: Great effort! Kemp takes and curls it towards the far post by Isted leaps to his right to deny the winger.
49: Lewis Banks is booked for a foul on Kemp. Free-kick in a decent position...
48: Early chance for Stoke to take the lead. Devlin gets to the byline and pulls it back for Ngoy, and the forward stabs at goal but Trott juggles with it on the line before getting it under control. Close call.
46: We're back underway at London Stadium. Let's make it two out of two here! Come on you Irons!
HT: That's it for the first half. The Hammers dominated the majority of that, but one costly error means it's level at the break. Work to do.
44: Close! Fernandes almost with an identical goal. He gets inside the box to the right hand side and fires low across Isted, but this time the keeper gets down well to turn it behind. A fantastic save.
43: West Ham have been playing with ten men for six minutes, but finally the ball goes out and Kemp can be introduced.
40: Stoke build an attack almost immediately after and Jarvis gets a shot away from just outside the penalty area, but Trott is right behind it.
39: On the pitch, the Hammers put together a nice move, but it results in Knoyle slightly over-hitting a cross from the right. Unlucky.
37: That's game over for Domingos Quina. The Portuguese was on the end of a strong challenge and limps off towards the bench. Dan Kemp is readying himself.
35: City have been galvanised by that penalty. They almost score again as first Devlin fails to covert a dangerous cross before Jarvis' effort from 12 yards is well blocked.
33: Extremely frustrating for West Ham to concede that equaliser. You rarely see Declan Rice put a foot wrong at the back, but he got the wrong side of Hill and definitely clipped the midfielder as he tried to nick the ball.
30: After picking up that knock, Edwards is going to be unable to continue here. Andrew Cherdieu is his replacement at right-back.
27: Goal. Stoke's Julien Ngoy steps up to put it out of reach of Trott, to the keeper's right.
26: Penalty for Stoke! Ryan Hill is tripped by Declan Rice and they have a chance to equalise against the run of play.
25: Not far away! Masuaku lines up a shot from all of 30 yards, and despite dipping as it neared the goal, it flies a couple of feet over. Why not have a go!
24: Short stoppage in play as Edwards receives treatment after picking up a knock. Still, the Hammers are on top. They'll want to capitalise on this and try to add a second before the break.
18: Masuaku is looking really sharp tonight. The Frenchman bursts forward again and makes his way into the box and towards the byline, by Stoke get the tackle in to clear for a corner. The visitors get rid of the set piece.
14: The pressure continues from the hosts. Masuaku works space for a cross on the left and, firing across into the box, finds Fletcher. It came at the big man too fast however, and he can't direct it goalwards.
14: Cynical challenge from Ryan Hill as he brings down the onrushing Quina. Yellow card for the Potters man.
13: Nathan Holland has his first chance to race beyond the back four, but as he bears down on goal, Edwards does well to make the challenge and play the ball against the winger for a goal kick.
12: The Hammers look dangerous going forward. Quina, Holland and Samuelsen are tonight complimented by the attacking first team talents Fernandes and left-back Masuaku and Stoke look worried.
9: Stoke, after falling behind, finally build an attack but the deep cross could not be diverted back into the box by Jack Devlin. West Ham in control having taken the lead.
5: GOOOOALLLLLLL! A brilliant start for the hosts as Edimilson Fernandes finds the back of the net! Ashley Fletcher did brilliantly to hold up a long ball and play in a superb reverse pass, and the Swiss midfielder - who appeared as a sub against Chelsea last night - fired low beyond Isted in goal. Great stuff!
4: It's been a real battle in these opening few minutes. Moses Makasi and Edimilson Fernandes are doing their best to assert themselves on the match, but Stoke are getting men behind the ball well.
1: We're underway at London Stadium in Premier League 2!
6:58pm: Bubbles rings out around London Stadium as skipper Declan Rice leads the Hammers out. Come on you Irons!
6:45pm: The Hammers beat Stoke 3-0 earlier this season, so they should take confidence from that early victory. Ashley Fletcher, who starts tonight, also scored in that fixture. Not long until kick-off at London Stadium!
PL2: Trott, Knoyle, Pask, Rice, Masuaku (Sylvestre 79), Makasi, Fernandes (Diangana 79), Samuelsen, Quina (Kemp 43), Holland, Fletcher.
Subs not used: Matrevics, Powell.
Goals: Fernandes 5
Stoke City: Isted, Edwards (Cherdieu 30), Kelly, Lecygne, Read, Banks, Ogle, Hill, Devlin, Jarvis, Ngoy.
Subs not used: Allen, Karamoko, Balde, Da Silva Monteiro.
Goals: Ngoy (pen) 27
Bookings: Hill 14
6pm: Good evening! Tonight, we're live from London Stadium as the young Hammers take on Stoke City in their second Premier League 2 clash of the season. They were victorious against Fulham here a fortnight ago, so can they make it two out of two at the Club's new home? With the table looking as below before kick-off, the Hammers currently sit in the final play-off spot and will be hoping to strengthen their position to finish in the top five with a win this evening. Team news to follow shortly.
