West Ham 3 Liverpool 3

Having never been in the lead in this game the poorer team robbed West Ham of the FA Cup by winning the penalty shoot out.

The first half was the Dean Ashton show. In the first 20 minutes both sides played cat and mouse, with neither side managing to create a clear cut chance. However on 21 minutes Ashton knocked a lovely ball inside the Liverpool defence to Scaloni on the right wing. Scaloni fired his cross in hard and low and Carragher, trying to stop the ball reaching Harewood, put the ball into his own net on the near post.

Seven minutes later Ashton flicked a header from a Benayoun cross onto Etherington. The winger then managed to avoid the attentions of three defenders to fire in a low shot from the edge of the box. Jose Reina spilled the ball and Ashton was there to fire in West Ham's second.

On 32 minutes Gerrard knocked a long cross, from deep, into the box. Cisse outpaced Ferdinand and Scaloni and fired his shot home to make it 2-1.

Straight from the break Ashton won the ball near the halfway line passed the ball inside the right back to Etherington. Etherington crossed for Harewood, who one-on-one with the keeper, fired straight at Reina. Benayoun was the first to the rebound, he beat one defender but also fired his shot straight at the keeper.

On 54 minutes Crouch headed back a cross to an on-rushing Gerrard who smashed the ball into the back of the net. Ten minutes later however Konchesky restored the lead. Konchesky flew down the left wing and his mishit cross floated over a despairing Reina.

With the game seemingly won, on 90 minutes Gerrard received the ball about 30 yards out and fired an astonishing shot past Hislop to take the game into extra-time.

The best chance in extra-time came seconds before the final whistle. Reo-Coker won a header which Reina just managed to divert against the post. The ball fell to an injured Harewood who mishit his shot to miss an open game.

With West Ham's penalty record there was only going to be one winner of the penalty shoot out, so the better team lost.

Win or Lose - I'm Claret and Blue

Coming Home

FA Cup Final Preview

The Reds go into this game clear favourites. With eleven straight wins in all competitions they are on their best run for seventeen years. The Anfield club are unbeaten in eight against West Ham, winning the last four. West Ham have not beaten the Reds since a 1-0 win at Upton Park on 27 November 1999, when Trevor Sinclair scored the winner. In the league this season they beat West Ham home and away, although West Ham ran them close at Upton Park in a game in which both sides withheld players.

West Ham seem to have returned to some form themselves, having won two successive league games. Alan Pardew is eager to become the first English manager to win the FA Cup since Joe Royle did it with Everton in 1995. With the recent deaths of Ron Greenwood and John Lyall West Ham will be hoping that their memorial is a FA Cup win.

The key to this game could be in midfield. Steven Gerrard, Momo Sissoko and Xabi Alonso often control games for LIverpool in midfield, and with Mullins missing for West Ham it is important that Reo-Coker and who ever partners him are at the top of their game.

Prediction 1-0 to West Ham.

West Ham this season have looked strong late on in games. West Ham will restrict Liverpool in the first half and Harewood will score a late winner.

Transfer Rumours

With Brown again hinting that there will be money available to Pardew, the long summer of transfer rumours has begun.

This week West Ham are linked with Sunderland leftback/winger Julio Arca, who is said to fancy a £1.5 million move to West Ham because of the opportunity to play in Europe.

Barcelona midfielder Gabri is also once again being linked with West Ham. The former Spanish international, who rejected the chance to join the Hammers in January, is coming to the end of his contract, and is seeking a move away from the Camp Nou.

"I must recognise that I would like to have an experience outside our country," said Gabri. The leagues outside are very attractive, mainly the English that has changed a lot, this is shown ny the fact there are very important people playing there."

In the opposite directions, there are rumours that Katan is set to return to his old club Maccabi having failed to break into the West Ham first team.

Other News
The Newham Council website have announced that there will be a victory parade on Monday should West Ham win the FA Cup.

"The parade is expected to take place on Monday 15 May, starting at Newham Town Hall at 6.30pm and proceed via Barking Road and Green Street to the club stadium, arriving at approximately 7.30pm."

Injury News

West Ham are saying that Dean Ashton has a 60-40 chance to be fit for the final. The club now seem more worried about Mathew Etherington. Alan Pardew reports that,

"We've still got a fair bit of time left and Matthew Etherington seems to have given himself more of a chance. The swelling that could restrict his movement has gone down and, apart from Deano and Matty, everyone else is now fit."

The Reds' main worry is Spanish midfielder Xabi Alonso who is battling to recover from ankle ligament damage picked up in their weekend win at Portsmouth.

West Ham Won't Have to Replay Game

Tottenham, having already been thrashed once by West Ham at Upton Park, have been desparate for another footballing lesson from the Academy. However the Premier League have reacted quickly to the request for their game against West Ham to be replayed by stating that the result will stand.

A replay always looked unlikely. Because of the World Cup Fifa will not allow any domestic games after this weekend and West Ham were never going to agree to a replay of this match before the FA Cup final.

Benayoun Scores

Some of the Highlights 05-06

West Ham 2 Spurs 1

Carl Fletcher's first Premiership goal and a late winner from Benayoun ended Spurs' Champions League dreams. Some of the Spurs players had apparently been struck down with food poisoning before the game and it showed in the opening minutes as the Hammers went close twice. Both Reo-Coker and Benayoun had good chances to open the scoring before Flethcher's stunning 30 yard goal in the tenth minute.

Defoe equalised for Spurs before the break, beating Danny Gabbidon and firing inside the far post. Six minutes after the restart Tainio brought down Zamora in the box but Sheringham scuffed the penalty to keep the Spuds' hopes alive. However their hopes were soon dashd when Harewood's backheel found Benayoun, who sidestepped Michael Dawson and fired into the top corner.

With Arsenal winning 4-2 at Wigan the Spurs fans then had to face the taunts of the West Ham fans for the rest of the game.

I'm now off to the Football Mad boards to continue the taunting.

West Ham vs Spurs

Zamora should be the West Ham player to watch today. Zamora playing against one of his old clubs and attempting to secure a place in the cup final team will be playing to impress.

We will also probably get another look at young Kyle Reid because of Etherington's injury. Reid looked a good crosser of the ball on his debut last week, and he also has an outside chance of making the cup final squad.

Spurs still have doubts over a number of key players but will obviously be giving it their all today. The Spurs should be able to beat the Hammers reserve team today but the West Ham fans will be desparate for them to lose. There should be a party mood at Upton Park today, so expect the fans to be egging the Hammers on and there is always the chance that the pressure will get to the Spuds.