West Ham 2 - 1 Aston Villa
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By Les Roopanarine
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A thrilling last-gasp victory over 10-man Aston Villa hauled West Ham out of the Premier League drop zone for the first time since late September.
Mark Noble converted a West Ham penalty on the stroke of half-time.
Robert Green saved an Ashley Young spot kick just after the break, but levelled soon afterwards with a curling effort that was more cross than shot.
Habib Beye saw red late in the game before substitute Zavon Hines prodded home from close range at the death.
After a torrid start to the campaign, West Ham's first home victory in the Premier League this season - and first league win anywhere since the opening day - should do much to lighten the mood in E13.
But Villa manager Martin O'Neill will be desperately disappointed by his side's failure to reap greater benefit from a first-half spell in which West Ham were twice forced to regroup in the wake of injuries at both ends of the pitch.
Defensive lapses have repeatedly proved costly for West Ham since James Collins' defection to Villa two months ago, a situation which manager Gianfranco Zola sought to address by drafting in Julien Faubert and Manuel Da Costa, for Jonathan Spector and James Tomkins respectively.
But the Hammers were thrown into early disarray when left-back Herita Ilunga pulled up with a hamstring problem, with the result that Spector's demotion to the bench lasted all of eight minutes.
The resulting reshuffle seemed to unsettle West Ham and encourage Villa in roughly equal measure.
Zola's side had started in auspicious fashion, creating an early shooting opportunity for Noble before Jack Collison's weaving run down the left allowed Noble to test Brad Friedel with a meaty low drive.
But Villa regained the initiative with a succession of corners, and gained further impetus when Carlton Cole - like Ilunga before him - pulled up clutching his hamstring.
Stiliyan Petrov and Gabriel Agbonlahor both forced Green to palm over, but it proved a period of fruitless dominance for Villa - and with the interval approaching they were made to pay for their profligacy.
Scott Parker, who delivered an authoritative performance in midfield on his return from injury, found Guillermo Franco just inside the final third, and the quick-thinking Mexico international released Hines, who was on for Cole.
As Hines sprinted goal-wards with Beye in hot pursuit, the Villa defender thrust an arm into the youngster's back, upending Hines and prompting referee Steve Bennett to award a penalty.
Noble made no mistake, smashing the ball high to Friedel's right, but Villa were unhappy with the penalty award and there were heated exchanges as the players headed for the tunnel, resulting in yellow cards for both Young and Collins.
The drama continued after the break as Villa rapidly won a spot kick of their own.
Contesting a high ball with Collins on the edge of the area, Da Costa's heels clipped the back of his former team-mate's head, prompting Bennett to award what looked a harsh penalty.
West Ham's protests had scarcely subsided when Young stepped up, firing low to Green's left only to watch in dismay as the England keeper extended a firm hand to claw the ball away.
With England manager Fabio Capello watching from the stands, it was a moment to send Green's international stock rising and Young's hopes of a World Cup place plummeting.
But football offers infinite chances for redemption, and three minutes later Young atoned for his mistake in spectacularly unpredictable fashion.
The winger posed no obvious threat when he rounded Valon Behrami from a position deep on the left wing, but his curling cross swept unerringly into Green's top left-hand corner.
West Ham responded vigorously, setting up a frantic finale which saw Beye dismissed for a second bookable offence after upending Collison.
Beye was the second Villa right-back to see red in successive games, but there was worse to come for O'Neill's side.
With seconds of stoppage time remaining, West Ham mounted another desperate attack, Parker leading the charge into the Villa area.
On an evening that will have given Capello plenty of food for thought, the England man wriggled through the Villa defence to find Hines, whose flicked shot eluded a cluster of static defenders before nestling in the back of Friedel's net.
As the delirium of an unlikely victory gripped Upton Park, West Ham's financial woes and the recent news of Alan Curbishley's victory in his case against the club for constructive dismissal briefly seemed unimportant. For Villa, failure to win a game that would have lifted them into fourth place doubtless seemed anything but.
Live text and stats
Wednesday, 4 November 2009
Premier League
| Home Team | Score | Away Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Ham | 2-1 | Aston Villa | R |
| (HT 1-0) | |||
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|
||
West Ham
- 01 Green
- 15 Upson
- 22 Da Costa
- 23 Ilunga (Spector 8)
- 08 Parker yellow card
- 16 Noble
- 20 Faubert
- 21 Behrami
- 31 Collison
- 10 Franco yellow card (Jimenez 88)
- 12 Cole (Hines 32)
Substitutes
Aston Villa
- 01 Friedel
- 05 Dunne
- 23 Beye yellow card, red card
- 25 Warnock
- 29 Collins yellow card
- 04 Sidwell
- 07 Young yellow card
- 19 Petrov yellow card
- 10 Carew (Young 86)
- 11 Agbonlahor
- 18 Heskey (Reo-Coker 46)
Substitutes
- 22 Guzan,
- 02 Young,
- 21 Shorey,
- 12 Albrighton,
- 16 Delph,
- 20 Reo-Coker,
- 14 Delfouneso
- Final Result
- Full Time
- 90:00+4:41 The referee brings the game to a close.
- 90:00+2:57 Scott Parker provided the assist for the goal.
- 90:00+2:57 GOAL - Zavon Hines:West Ham 2 - 1 Aston Villa Zavon Hines gets on the score sheet with a goal from inside the box to the top right corner of the goal. West Ham 2-1 Aston Villa.
- 90:00+0:46 Corner taken by Ashley Young from the right by-line, clearance made by Valon Behrami.
- 90:00+0:36 Ashley Young takes a shot. Save by Robert Green.
- 90:00+0:02 Corner taken by Stephen Warnock, clearance by Julien Faubert.
- 89:02 Luis Jimenez takes a short corner.
- 87:52 Substitution Luis Jimenez is brought on as a substitute for Guillermo Franco.
- 87:26 Mark Noble takes a shot. Save by Brad Friedel.
- 85:59 Substitution Luke Young joins the action as a substitute, replacing John Carew.
- 85:50 Shot by Scott Parker went wide right of the net.
- 84:50 Free kick taken by Mark Noble.
- 84:50 Sent off The referee shows Habib Beye a red card for second bookable offence.
- 84:26 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Jonathan Spector by Habib Beye.
- 83:18 Free kick taken by Ashley Young, Gabriel Agbonlahor produces a right-footed shot from inside the area that clears the crossbar.
- 83:18 Booking Guillermo Franco booked.
- 83:13 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Stiliyan Petrov by Guillermo Franco.
- 80:25 Scott Parker fouled by Nigel Reo-Coker, the ref awards a free kick. Mark Noble takes the free kick.
- 79:47 Corner taken by Mark Noble from the right by-line, clearance made by John Carew.
- 79:37 Zavon Hines takes a shot. Save made by Brad Friedel.
- 77:44 Shot by Zavon Hines from deep inside the penalty area misses to the right of the target.
- 76:22 Nigel Reo-Coker takes a shot. Matthew Upson gets a block in.
- 73:28 Mark Noble takes the inswinging corner, Richard Dunne manages to make a clearance.
- 73:00 Corner taken right-footed by Mark Noble.
- 72:12 Effort on goal by Zavon Hines from inside the area goes harmlessly over the bar.
- 69:51 Manuel Da Costa concedes a free kick for a foul on John Carew. Ashley Young crosses the ball in from the free kick, save made by Robert Green.
- 69:15 Shot from just outside the box by Guillermo Franco goes over the crossbar.
- 67:50 Unfair challenge on Steve Sidwell by Zavon Hines results in a free kick. Brad Friedel takes the free kick.
- 67:26 Julien Faubert takes the direct free kick.
- 67:26 Booking Stiliyan Petrov booked.
- 67:21 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Scott Parker by Stiliyan Petrov.
- 67:11 The assistant referee signals for offside against Gabriel Agbonlahor. Indirect free kick taken by Valon Behrami.
- 66:51 Jack Collison takes a shot. Save by Brad Friedel.
- 66:24 Corner taken by Mark Noble from the right by-line.
- 65:26 Jack Collison crosses the ball.
- 64:50 Stephen Warnock gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Valon Behrami. Direct free kick taken by Mark Noble.
- 63:53 Manuel Da Costa has an effort at goal from deep inside the area missing to the left of the target.
- 63:20 Mark Noble takes a inswinging corner.
- 60:49 Unfair challenge on Richard Dunne by Zavon Hines results in a free kick. Steve Sidwell restarts play with the free kick.
- 58:54 Inswinging corner taken by Ashley Young from the left by-line, James Collins concedes a free kick for a foul on Robert Green. Robert Green restarts play with the free kick.
- 58:43 Stiliyan Petrov takes a shot. Blocked by Scott Parker.
- 58:03 Corner taken by Ashley Young from the left by-line, Matthew Upson manages to make a clearance.
- 57:38 Valon Behrami concedes a free kick for a foul on Gabriel Agbonlahor. Free kick taken by Stephen Warnock.
- 55:41 Inswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Stephen Warnock, Manuel Da Costa manages to make a clearance.
- 53:10 The assistant referee signals for offside against Zavon Hines. James Collins takes the indirect free kick.
- 51:35 Assist by Gabriel Agbonlahor.
- 51:35 GOAL - Ashley Young:West Ham 1 - 1 Aston Villa Ashley Young scores a goal from just outside the penalty box to the top right corner of the goal. West Ham 1-1 Aston Villa.
- 50:33 Ashley Young takes the direct free kick.
- 50:33 Booking The referee shows Scott Parker a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.
- 50:26 Scott Parker challenges Ashley Young unfairly and gives away a free kick.
- 49:56 Effort on goal by Scott Parker from long range goes over the bar.
- 49:00 Corner taken by Stephen Warnock from the right by-line.
- 48:10 Penalty taken by Ashley Young saved by Robert Green. West Ham 1-0 Aston Villa.
- 48:10 James Collins fouled by Manuel Da Costa, the ref awards a Penalty.
- 47:35 Corner from the left by-line taken by Ashley Young, clearance by Guillermo Franco.
- 45:01 The referee gets the second half underway.
- 45:01 Substitution Nigel Reo-Coker on for Emile Heskey.
- Half Time
- 45:00+3:25 The referee calls an end to the first half.
- 45:00+3:22 Booking The referee books James Collins for dissent.
- 45:00+3:15 Booking Ashley Young is booked.
- 45:00+2:18 Assist by Zavon Hines.
- 45:00+2:18 GOAL - Mark Noble:West Ham 1 - 0 Aston Villa Mark Noble scores a placed penalty. West Ham 1-0 Aston Villa.
- 45:00+1:37 Booking The referee cautions Habib Beye for unsporting behaviour.
- 45:00+1:11 Foul by Habib Beye on Zavon Hines, Penalty awarded.
- 44:54 Unfair challenge on Ashley Young by Guillermo Franco results in a free kick. Brad Friedel restarts play with the free kick.
- 41:39 Unfair challenge on Ashley Young by Scott Parker results in a free kick. Stephen Warnock produces a shot on goal direct from the free kick.
- 38:12 John Carew takes a shot. Save by Robert Green.
- 34:14 Corner taken by Stephen Warnock.
- 33:15 Corner taken by Stephen Warnock from the right by-line.
- 32:34 Manuel Da Costa fouled by John Carew, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by Valon Behrami.
- 32:09 The referee blows for offside. James Collins takes the indirect free kick.
- 31:11 Substitution Zavon Hines joins the action as a substitute, replacing Carlton Cole.
- 31:11 John Carew is caught offside. Robert Green takes the free kick.
- 30:29 John Carew is ruled offside. Direct free kick taken by Scott Parker.
- 30:11 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Manuel Da Costa by John Carew. Scott Parker takes the direct free kick.
- 25:55 The ball is swung over by Ashley Young, Close range header by Gabriel Agbonlahor goes over the bar.
- 25:01 The referee blows for offside. Richard Dunne takes the free kick.
- 24:51 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Manuel Da Costa by John Carew. Valon Behrami takes the free kick.
- 22:15 Foul by Valon Behrami on Ashley Young, free kick awarded. Direct free kick taken by Ashley Young.
- 21:41 Corner taken by Ashley Young from the left by-line, clearance made by Manuel Da Costa.
- 21:31 Gabriel Agbonlahor takes a shot. Save by Robert Green.
- 20:01 Outswinging corner taken right-footed by Ashley Young from the right by-line.
- 19:38 Stiliyan Petrov takes a shot. Save by Robert Green.
- 19:12 Corner taken by Ashley Young.
- 17:51 Free kick awarded for a foul by Ashley Young on Jonathan Spector. Free kick taken by Mark Noble.
- 16:47 John Carew takes a shot. Save by Robert Green.
- 15:36 Mark Noble takes a shot. Save by Brad Friedel.
- 14:14 Corner taken by Ashley Young from the left by-line, Richard Dunne takes a shot. Matthew Upson gets a block in.
- 12:46 Jack Collison fouled by Ashley Young, the ref awards a free kick. Jonathan Spector takes the direct free kick.
- 11:14 Scott Parker takes a shot. Save by Brad Friedel.
- 10:17 Foul by Steve Sidwell on Carlton Cole, free kick awarded. Matthew Upson takes the free kick.
- 7:30 Inswinging corner taken from the left by-line by Ashley Young.
- 7:30 Substitution (West Ham) makes a substitution, with Jonathan Spector coming on for Herita Ilunga.
- 3:38 Jack Collison takes a shot. Save by Brad Friedel.
- 3:15 Gabriel Agbonlahor takes a shot. Robert Green makes a save.
- 2:31 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Steve Sidwell by Mark Noble. Gabriel Agbonlahor takes the direct free kick.
- 1:47 Carlton Cole has an effort at goal from outside the area which goes wide right of the goal.
- 0:00 The ref blows the whistle to start the match.
Live text and data provided by The Press Association.
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