West Ham United against Tottenham Hotspur

Chimbonda comes off for the seventeen year old Frenchman Adel Taarabt.

GOAL - Zamora goes one beter than Kepa, scoring with his first touch when a free-kick is floated in to the Spurs penalty area by Tevez. He rises highest in the crowded penalty area to bullet home a wonderful header. Upton Park erupts again.

They waste it though and now West Ham make another substitution, Etherington coming off to make way for Bobby Zamora. West Ham now have four strikers on the pitch.

Noble puts in a good challenge on Tainio and Spurs have a corner.

Tevez fouls Dawson and the big defender is definitely winning their personal battle in this second half.

The corner comes over and Kepa gets to it first but his header goes wide. Not the worst first touch ever though.

Quashie looks to be seriously injured as he is helped off and Kepa Blanco replaces him.

Quashie's shot is deflected behind for a corner and that could well be Quashie's final contribution as he came off worse when Stalteri challenged him.

Good challenge again on Tevez by Dawson who has handled the Argentinian well in the second half.

Quashie has taken out Tianio who is now writhing around on the floor holding a rather delicate part of his anatomy it would seem. The Hammers player is booked for high feet.

Tevez appeared to kick out at Dawson a little bit, perhaps in frustration at his side's failure to hold on to the lead he had done so much to inspire.

Etherington has the ball in the back of the net but he was well offside and was spotted by the linesman.

Quashie is up now and, indeed, just helped the ball along to Konchesky.

Lennon whips in a deep cross but he whips a little too hard and the Hammers have a goal-kick.

Quashie is down injured but West Ham are playing on, either oblivious to his plight or they are just not too fond of him.

Berbatov is at the front post though and easily heads the ball away when the corner is hit in.

But there is always Carlos Tevez who has won the Hamemrs a corner.

You would now fancy Spurs chances of winning this and, if they do, they may as well relegate the Hammers today.

GOAL: West Ham have conceded again. Konchesky was out of position and Berbatov takes advantage to hit a deep ball to the far post. It's met by Lennon whose clever improvised knock back is buried home by Tainio.

Lucas Neill shows a cool head to chest the ball back to Green as Defoe was on hand.

Konchesky, having something of a nightmare in this second half, firstly gives the ball away cheaply to Chimbonda. He then fouls him and receives a booking.

Good early cross in to the West Ham box by Berbatov but nobody in a white shirt had read his intentions.

Defoe went to ground after tripping on the ball and the referee decides that Defoe handballed it as he slipped. A bit harsh.

Gardner, under pressure from Harewood, knocks the ball out for a Hammers throw close to the Spurs penalty area. West Ham make nothing of if but at lease they are out of their own half.

Davenport got a bit of a knock as he tried to stop Lennon getting a shot in. Meanwhile Paul Stalteri is on for Jermaine Jenas who has a groin strain.

Poor defending from Konchesky allows Berbatov to get a shot it. It's a hard angle though and he hits it over the bar.

West Ham defend the corner but Lennon and Berbatov look as if they are going to make it a long half for Alan Curbishley.

Lennon and Berbatov combine in the West Ham area and win a corner. Spurs are playing with their tails up now.

Lucas Neill now picks up his ninth booking of the season.

Bowyer has single-handedly allowed Spurs back in to this game and not for the first time in his career the midfielder's thoughtlessness has jeopardised his team-mates.

GOAL: This time Green is beaten as Defoe sends the keeper the wrong way, slotting it comfortably in to the corner.

Lee Bowyer has conceded a penalty after taking down the nippy Lennon. A terrible, stupid challenge from Bowyer who is now booked.

Lennon actually won a free-kick out of that challenge which is well defended by Neill.

Lennon goes in hard on Lee Bowyer to the delight of neutrals everywhere.

Green has to come from his line to make a save from Jenas who was deemed offside by the ref.

Spurs are bringing on Tom Huddlestone for Hassam Ghaly. West Ham restart the game.

HALF-TIMe: The whistle is greeted with cheers from the home crowd for a change here. It may be too little too late for West Ham even if they do win, but they are deservedly in front, playing with confidence and their diminutive Argentinan striker has been running the show. With West Ham though, nothing is sure and Spurs must fancy their chances of sneaking back in to this.

Robinson had to be quick off his line to clear a ball as Tevez was lurking once again. His defenders reveive a bit of abuse for their perceived slackness.

Hassam Ghaly rushes his pass which is intended for Jenas but instead goes out for a West Ham goal-kick which Green is in no hurry to take.

Tevez has extricated himself from his adoring fans and has been rather predictably booked. Shame.

GOAL - Carlos Tevez has broken his West Ham duck in emphatic style. He floats the free-kick in to the goal and it dips just under the bar. In an unbridled show of emotion he then leaps in to the crowd where he is mobbed by an ecstatic throng of Hammers fans. Great stuff.

Tevez's trickery invites a foul from Dawson on the edge of his own area. West Ham have the free-kick.

Jenas stands over a free-kick thirty five yards out but when he strikes it it does not get beyond the West Ham wall.

Tevez shows some great tenacity to harry Lee. It looked like he might have won a corner but a goal-kick is awarded. Tevez is leading the West Ham fight today and is showing a wonderful appetite for the challenge.

At the other end West Ham have a corner. Tevez gets it in at the second attempt and Harewood wildly swings at the ball as the Spurs goal was gaping. The shot goes harmlessly wide but West Ham should perhaps have doubled their lead.

Some fantastic control from Berbatov on this slippy surface and he then splits the West Ham defence with an angled pass. The ref decides that Defoe was offside but that was a poor call.

Berbatov has come off to receive some attention for a head wound but would now appear to be ok.

Quashie's hits an angled pass up to Harewood who takes it on his chest but the ball is too high for him to control properly and he can't get a decent shot in. Then he gets the ball on the edge of the area and has a go from a difficult angle which whizzes wide.

West Ham knock the ball about for a bit, seemingly unsure of what to do with it before Lucas Neill hits on the idea of booting it out of play.

Tevez tries to switch the play over to the left wing where Etherington is in space but the pass is over-hit and goes out for a Spurs throw.

Dawson gets it away again when it comes in.

Harewood was slow to get on the end of a Tevez pass but the Hammers have won a corner.

From the corner Jenas has an effort drom distance but it goes wide. The ball breaks up the other end and Quashie tries his luck but with the same results.

Lennon's floated ball is crying out for a Spurs man to get on the end of it. They don't but then some poor defending from West Ham lets them back in. Lee Bowyer almost scores an own goal which Green does well to save before the keeper makes yet another great stop from a fiercely struck Berbatov effort. Corner to Spurs.

Noble shows nice feet as a could of Spurs players get in tight on him but then over hits his pass to Etherington. The youngster looks lively though as do the Hammers.

Some good pressure down the wing from Konchesky and Etherington and then the West Ham left back wins a free-kick. Michael Dawson clears the ball when it is played in to the penalty area.

Good block from Lucas Neill on Aaron Lennon.

GOAL - Mark Noble, the local lad, has scored the opening goal. Tevez chests down Konchesky's cross and Noble smashes an unstoppable shot home from twenty yards out.

Berbatov, appearing to be marginally offside, receives the ball with his back to the West Ham goal but when he swivels to shoot Green has read the situation well and rushes out to smother his shot. Almost immediately, Berbatov gets the ball back inside the area and Green this time makes an important save with his feet.

Lee Bowyer appeared to take out Lee but the referee waves play on.

Good tackle on Chimbonda by Matthew Etherington gives Spurs a throw on the eighteen yard line.

Indeed he is off and will be replaced by Calum Davenport, an ex-Spurs man in the West Ham ranks.

Matthew Upson would appear to be limping and could be coming off. Oh dear.

Tevez then takes the corner but Tainio heads it away for a throw-in.

Berbatov gives away a free-kick and Konchesky hits it high in towards the Spurs penalty area. It breaks to Tevez who goes on a decent run and wins a corner.

Dawson clatters in to the back of Tevez just to let him know he is there.

Tevez chases a seemingly lost ball and gets to it first ahead of Gardner. He is unable to get a decent cross in though and West Ham lose the ball. Then Mark Noble is booked for a late tackle on Ghaly.

Some fine play from Tevez, using his strength to back in to Dawson before improvising a shot from just inside the area. He has little space to manouvere himself and Robinson is not troubled but some good skill from the Argentinian.

A well struck shot from Mark Noble after some sloppy play by Jermaine Jenas is parried out by Paul Robinson. Tevez had done well to lay it on to Noble. An encouraging start for the Hammers.

Jermaine Defoe's first touch is predictably greeted with a loud chorus of boos.

'I'm forever blowing bubbles' rings around the ground as Spurs kick-off attacking from left to right.

It has been raining most of the afternoon in London as I can vouch for and the ball is sure to skid on the well moistened Upton Park pitch. Just the sort of conditions to perhaps bring about some defensive errors. Which, seeing as the West Ham back four have never all played together, could work in Spurs favour.

They will have to be on their toes to stop the classy Bulgarian Dimitar Berbatov adding to his season's tally of seven goals. Hossam Ghaly starts in midfield for Martin Jol's men.

Anton Ferdinand starts for West Ham despite his unauthorised, midweek trans-Atlantic excursion. He will line up in defence alongside both Matthew Upson and Lucas Neill, with the duo bought in the January window so far mustering a mere three starts between them for the Hammers.

Berbatov is at the front post though and easily heads the ball away when the corner is hit in.

But there is always Carlos Tevez who has won the Hamemrs a corner.

You would now fancy Spurs chances of winning this and, if they do, they may as well relegate the Hammers today.

GOAL: West Ham have conceded again. Konchesky was out of position and Berbatov takes advantage to hit a deep ball to the far post. It's met by Lennon whose clever improvised knock back is buried home by Tainio.

Lucas Neill shows a cool head to chest the ball back to Green as Defoe was on hand.

Konchesky, having something of a nightmare in this second half, firstly gives the ball away cheaply to Chimbonda. He then fouls him and receives a booking.

Good early cross in to the West Ham box by Berbatov but nobody in a white shirt had read his intentions.

Defoe went to ground after tripping on the ball and the referee decides that Defoe handballed it as he slipped. A bit harsh.

Gardner, under pressure from Harewood, knocks the ball out for a Hammers throw close to the Spurs penalty area. West Ham make nothing of if but at lease they are out of their own half.

Davenport got a bit of a knock as he tried to stop Lennon getting a shot in. Meanwhile Paul Stalteri is on for Jermaine Jenas who has a groin strain.

Poor defending from Konchesky allows Berbatov to get a shot it. It's a hard angle though and he hits it over the bar.

West Ham defend the corner but Lennon and Berbatov look as if they are going to make it a long half for Alan Curbishley.

Lennon and Berbatov combine in the West Ham area and win a corner. Spurs are playing with their tails up now.

Lucas Neill now picks up his ninth booking of the season.

Bowyer has single-handedly allowed Spurs back in to this game and not for the first time in his career the midfielder's thoughtlessness has jeopardised his team-mates.

GOAL: This time Green is beaten as Defoe sends the keeper the wrong way, slotting it comfortably in to the corner.

Lee Bowyer has conceded a penalty after taking down the nippy Lennon. A terrible, stupid challenge from Bowyer who is now booked.

Lennon actually won a free-kick out of that challenge which is well defended by Neill.

Lennon goes in hard on Lee Bowyer to the delight of neutrals everywhere.

Green has to come from his line to make a save from Jenas who was deemed offside by the ref.

Spurs are bringing on Tom Huddlestone for Hassam Ghaly. West Ham restart the game.

HALF-TIMe: The whistle is greeted with cheers from the home crowd for a change here. It may be too little too late for West Ham even if they do win, but they are deservedly in front, playing with confidence and their diminutive Argentinan striker has been running the show. With West Ham though, nothing is sure and Spurs must fancy their chances of sneaking back in to this.

Robinson had to be quick off his line to clear a ball as Tevez was lurking once again. His defenders reveive a bit of abuse for their perceived slackness.

Hassam Ghaly rushes his pass which is intended for Jenas but instead goes out for a West Ham goal-kick which Green is in no hurry to take.

Tevez has extricated himself from his adoring fans and has been rather predictably booked. Shame.

GOAL - Carlos Tevez has broken his West Ham duck in emphatic style. He floats the free-kick in to the goal and it dips just under the bar. In an unbridled show of emotion he then leaps in to the crowd where he is mobbed by an ecstatic throng of Hammers fans. Great stuff.

Tevez's trickery invites a foul from Dawson on the edge of his own area. West Ham have the free-kick.

Jenas stands over a free-kick thirty five yards out but when he strikes it it does not get beyond the West Ham wall.

Tevez shows some great tenacity to harry Lee. It looked like he might have won a corner but a goal-kick is awarded. Tevez is leading the West Ham fight today and is showing a wonderful appetite for the challenge.

At the other end West Ham have a corner. Tevez gets it in at the second attempt and Harewood wildly swings at the ball as the Spurs goal was gaping. The shot goes harmlessly wide but West Ham should perhaps have doubled their lead.

Some fantastic control from Berbatov on this slippy surface and he then splits the West Ham defence with an angled pass. The ref decides that Defoe was offside but that was a poor call.

Berbatov has come off to receive some attention for a head wound but would now appear to be ok.

Quashie's hits an angled pass up to Harewood who takes it on his chest but the ball is too high for him to control properly and he can't get a decent shot in. Then he gets the ball on the edge of the area and has a go from a difficult angle which whizzes wide.

West Ham knock the ball about for a bit, seemingly unsure of what to do with it before Lucas Neill hits on the idea of booting it out of play.

Tevez tries to switch the play over to the left wing where Etherington is in space but the pass is over-hit and goes out for a Spurs throw.

Dawson gets it away again when it comes in.

Harewood was slow to get on the end of a Tevez pass but the Hammers have won a corner.

From the corner Jenas has an effort drom distance but it goes wide. The ball breaks up the other end and Quashie tries his luck but with the same results.

Lennon's floated ball is crying out for a Spurs man to get on the end of it. They don't but then some poor defending from West Ham lets them back in. Lee Bowyer almost scores an own goal which Green does well to save before the keeper makes yet another great stop from a fiercely struck Berbatov effort. Corner to Spurs.

Noble shows nice feet as a could of Spurs players get in tight on him but then over hits his pass to Etherington. The youngster looks lively though as do the Hammers.

Some good pressure down the wing from Konchesky and Etherington and then the West Ham left back wins a free-kick. Michael Dawson clears the ball when it is played in to the penalty area.

Good block from Lucas Neill on Aaron Lennon.

GOAL - Mark Noble, the local lad, has scored the opening goal. Tevez chests down Konchesky's cross and Noble smashes an unstoppable shot home from twenty yards out.

Berbatov, appearing to be marginally offside, receives the ball with his back to the West Ham goal but when he swivels to shoot Green has read the situation well and rushes out to smother his shot. Almost immediately, Berbatov gets the ball back inside the area and Green this time makes an important save with his feet.

Lee Bowyer appeared to take out Lee but the referee waves play on.

Good tackle on Chimbonda by Matthew Etherington gives Spurs a throw on the eighteen yard line.

Indeed he is off and will be replaced by Calum Davenport, an ex-Spurs man in the West Ham ranks.

Matthew Upson would appear to be limping and could be coming off. Oh dear.

Tevez then takes the corner but Tainio heads it away for a throw-in.

Berbatov gives away a free-kick and Konchesky hits it high in towards the Spurs penalty area. It breaks to Tevez who goes on a decent run and wins a corner.

Dawson clatters in to the back of Tevez just to let him know he is there.

Tevez chases a seemingly lost ball and gets to it first ahead of Gardner. He is unable to get a decent cross in though and West Ham lose the ball. Then Mark Noble is booked for a late tackle on Ghaly.

Some fine play from Tevez, using his strength to back in to Dawson before improvising a shot from just inside the area. He has little space to manouvere himself and Robinson is not troubled but some good skill from the Argentinian.

A well struck shot from Mark Noble after some sloppy play by Jermaine Jenas is parried out by Paul Robinson. Tevez had done well to lay it on to Noble. An encouraging start for the Hammers.

Jermaine Defoe's first touch is predictably greeted with a loud chorus of boos.

'I'm forever blowing bubbles' rings around the ground as Spurs kick-off attacking from left to right.

It has been raining most of the afternoon in London as I can vouch for and the ball is sure to skid on the well moistened Upton Park pitch. Just the sort of conditions to perhaps bring about some defensive errors. Which, seeing as the West Ham back four have never all played together, could work in Spurs favour.

They will have to be on their toes to stop the classy Bulgarian Dimitar Berbatov adding to his season's tally of seven goals. Hossam Ghaly starts in midfield for Martin Jol's men.

Anton Ferdinand starts for West Ham despite his unauthorised, midweek trans-Atlantic excursion. He will line up in defence alongside both Matthew Upson and Lucas Neill, with the duo bought in the January window so far mustering a mere three starts between them for the Hammers.