Stoke 0 West Ham 1

Stoke started the game the brighter of the two sides, even if they were, as usual, over reliant on long balls and Delap long throws. In the 10th minute, from one of Delap's long throws into the West Ham area, Fuller rose and bundled Green over before kneeing the ball into the net. Luckily the ref spotted his use of the elbow and gave the foul.

This seemed to spur West Ham into action and they began to control possession of the ball. Two minutes after Fuller's disallowed goal West Ham had a goal disallowed themselves. Tristan chested down the ball just inside the Stoke area and passed to Di Michele, who then slotted the ball home. However the ref deemed Tristan had hand balled whilst chesting down the ball.

In the 31st minute West Ham again got the ball in the back of the net only this time the goal stood. Tristan was fouled 25 yrds out, just to the right of centre. Tristan then took the free kick himself and shot straight into the top left of the Stoke goal. Straight from the restart Stanislas broke forward and back heeled for Di Michele on the edge of the area. Di Michele shot over from wide left in the area.

After that West Ham controlled the ball well for the rest of the half. There was a slight scare in the 38th minute when Fuller received a cross six yards out and pushed the ball forward but Green did well to bravely save at his feet. The other big talking point of the half was when Boa Morte went in late into a challenge with Delap and Delap kicked out at Boa Morte. Both players were booked.


Early in the second half West Ham controlled the game well. Stoke weren't able to create much and the closest they came was from a Fuller long range effort that flew well wide. West Ham didn't create much themselves. In the 67th minute Neill did well down the right and got to the byline. He pulled the ball back for Stanislas around the penalty spot, but Stanislas skied the ball way over.

From around the 70th minute Stoke did begin to create some pressure on the West Ham box, mainly from long throws and corners. In the 75th minute they had perhaps their closest chance when Faye's header from a corner was cleared off the line by Noble with his head.

In the 82nd minute Collison replaced Boa Morte. In the second minute of extra time Tristan broke clear but with only the keeper to beat he just put the ball wide. A minute later and Fuller had a great chance to get the equaliser for Stoke but from 7 yards shot well over.

A good win by West Ham gets us back into European contention.