WEST HAM UNITED 2
NEWCASTLE UNITED 2
Premier League
Upton Park
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Kick-off 3pm

Craig Hope reports from Upton Park ...

MATCH REPORT

NEWCASTLE United extended their unbeaten run to seven games as they fought back from two goals down to earn a share of the spoils at Upton Park.

The Magpies were trailing as early as the 10th minute when Mark Noble connected with a George McCartney centre to fire past Steve Harper having been afforded the freedom of the visitors penalty area.

And the Hammers doubled their advantage on 26 minutes, Dean Ashton rolling the challenge of David Edgar 12 yards from goal before smashing low into the bottom corner.

Oba Martins pulled one back three minutes before the break as he finished cooly after being sprung clear by a clever Joey Barton pass.

And the comeback was complete as Geremi (45)  flashed a header beyond Robert Green after Martins had fired into a crowded penalty area.

Both sides had chances to win it in the second period and both Harper and Green pulled off top drawer saves to ensure the game ended all square.

SECOND HALF ACTION (click refresh for latest)

That's it, all square at Upton Park.

90+2min - There's just about enough time left for Nobby Solano to receive a rapturous welcome from the Toon Army as he replaces Julien Faubert.

90+1min - Edgar and Cole clash heads with the Newcastle youngster ending up in a heap on the floor clutching his face. United take no chances and the Canadian is replaced by Lamine Diatta having clearly suffered a nasty cut on his forehead.

There will be two minutes added time.

90min - Oba Martins comes within inches of nicking a win as he spins before firing low for Robert Green's bottom corner from inside the penalty area, the Hammers is at full stretch and somehow manages to keep it out.

86min - Either side could still win this and Noble has a crack from about 20 yards out which Harper saves.

82min - Alan Smith replaces Mark Viduka.

80min - Steve Harper produces a brilliant one-handed save to divert Ashton's vicious, 12-yard drive over the crossbar - what a stop! Faubert crosses and the home fans on their feet appealing for a penalty when the ball bounces up off the arm of Michael Owen but Rennie waves play on.

77min - A Faubert cross causes confusion in the United rearguard with the ball dropping for McCartney arriving on the left, the full-back has a rush of blood and fires well wide when really he should've found the target.

75min - The game is opening up and West Ham have a chance to re-take the lead when a game of head tennis inside the Magpies penalty area ends with Ashton hooking wide from the angle of the six-yard-box.

73min - Martins and Pansil tussle on the right and when the full-back eventually gets his clearance away he is caught by the Nigerian with Rennie wasting no time in brandishing his yellow card.

71min - Ashton tries his luck from distance after cutting in from the left, it's a powerful strike but Harper watches it all of the way and saves.

69min - Carlton Cole replaces Bobby Zamora.

67min - Barton is stopped in his tracks by a sliding Scott Parker as the United man advanced into the penalty area but the Magpies have a corner. Geremi crosses but Rennie blows for a foul and the hosts have a free-kick.

63min - Barton again tries to spring Martins clear, McCartney looks to have won the race but the Nigerian robs the former Sunderland man and immediately squares for Viduka arriving in the area, the Aussie tries to help the ball on to the supporting Owen but Neill is in the right place at the right time to intercept and clear.

60min - Boa Morte's cross is deflected behind off Beye for a West Ham corner on the left. Faubert whips over and Taylor does well to win and head clear.

57min - Nicky Butt is late on Faubert but Rennie allows the advantage as the Hammers break, United win back possession and Pansil scythes down Barton - Rennie is quick to brandish his yellow card as first Butt for the earlier challenge and then Pansil enter the book.

55min - Faubert is next in the book for a late challenge on Martins midway inside the Hammers half.

54min - Ashton again finds himself one-on-one with Edgar in a similar position to that from which he scored in the first-half, this time the Canadian stands strong and blocks the striker's shot-on-the-turn, the ball runs free to Boa Morte on the left and he sends a stinging, left-footed drive just inches wide of Harper's far post.

51min - At the other end Barton spins clear of Pansil on the left and bursts into the penalty area, the United midfielder tries to slide the ball into the path of Owen on the penalty spot but the hosts have enough bodies recovering to clear.

48min - Faubert is blocked by Edgar on the right touchline and West Ham have a free-kick. The French winger takes and Harper has to fist clear with Zamora poised to head on goal at the far post.

The Hammers get the second period started with neither side having made any changes at the break.

FIRST HALF ACTION

That's it, half-time at Upton Park with that late double getting KK's boys back on level terms.

45min - NEWCASTLE GOAL (2-2): Unbelievably the Geordies are on level terms! West Ham fail to deal with a Habib Beye cross and can only half clear as far as Oba Martins who smashes back into a crowded penalty area where GEREMI instinctively turns the ball past Green with a flash header - it's the Cameroon star's second of the season, the other also coming in London during the 4-1 win at Spurs.

42min - NEWCASTLE GOAL (2-1): Joey Barton clips a ball over the top for OBA MARTINS to chase, the Nigerian has sprung clear and has just Robert Green to beat and does so in confident fashion with a right-footed poke to put the visitors right back in it - 10th of the season for the Toon No.9.

42min - Another Hammers corner sees Ashton head over the crossbar after peeling away from Edgar to connect with Faubert's out-swinging delivery.

41min - Habib Beye is the first man in the book for a late lunge on Scott Parker on halfway.

38min - At the other end Harper saves low to his right after Boa Morte had found space to shoot inside the area.

36min - United's first attack of the game sees McCartney head clear at the near post with Owen making up ground to try and get on the end of Geremi's teasing centre.

32min - Still West Ham continue to boss the game and Harper has to dash from his line to claim McCartney's clipped free-kick with Zamora jumping to get a header on goal.

27min - The Hammers have the first corner of the afternoon, Faubert delivers from the right but McCartney's header skims away to safety.

23min - WEST HAM GOAL (2-0): Bobby Zamora climbs to flick on a long punt downfield, the ball drops for DEAN ASHTON 12 yards from goal, the burly Hammers striker rolls the challenge of David Edgar before firing low past Harper to double the hosts advantage - you have to admit it's a deserved lead.

22min - Ljungberg eventually leaves the field on a stretcher and is replaced by Luis Boa Morte.

18min - There's a break in play as Ljungberg receives treatment following a Taylor challenge. Kevin Keegan takes the chance to get a few words across to his players who, in fairness, are yet to start this one.

16min - The Hammers are in control here with the Magpies struggling to get hold of any real possession.

10min - WEST HAM GOAL (1-0): George McCartney works room for a delivery on the left flank, his cross lands perfectly for the unmarked MARK NOBLE lurking 12 yards from goal and the England under-21 star does extremely well to swivel and direct his left-footed shot past Steve Harper to give the Hammers an early lead - there's an inquest going on among the Magpie players with both Barton and Butt wondering how the West Ham midfielder was allowed so much room.

7min - Ljungberg digs out a cross from the left which Harper tries to come and claim, the Toon stopper is all at sea and Zamora climbs above his outstretched arms to win, luckily for the hosts the header loops over the crossbar.

6min - The Magpies have been penned in their own half during these early exchanges and Ashton tries his luck from distance, it's a low effort with plenty of power but Harper is able to watch it all of the way and saves with relative ease.

4min - Rennie rules that Beye has brought down McCartney on the left when it looks from our view like the United man got a full foot on the ball. Faubert and Zamora stand over the ball but it's the French winger who strikes, his dipping effort landing on the roof of Steve Harper's net.

2min - An early involvement for Edgar sees him glance clear the danger after Faubert had worked the angle to cross from the right.

The sun is beating down in East London with temperatures topping 70F as Mark Viduka and Oba Martins get the game started.

TEAM NEWS

KEVIN Keegan makes one change to the team which beat Sunderland last weekend as David Edgar comes in for the injured Abdoulaye Faye.

It's only the Canadian's second start of the season having also deputised for Steven Taylor during last month's 3-0 victory over Reading.

Nicky Butt makes his 100th start for United in midfield where he is joined by Joey Barton and Geremi.

Michael Owen will be looking to add to his tally of six goals from as many games as he once again lines-up alongside Oba Martins and Mark Viduka in attack.

For the Hammers, only Scott Parker starts of their ex-Magpie contingent while Nobby Solano has to settle for a place on the bench.

TEAMS

WHUFC: Robert Green, John Pantsil, George McCartney, Lucas Neill (c), James Tomkins, Julien Faubert, Mark Noble, Scott Parker, Bobby Zamora, Dean Ashton
Subs: Nobby Solano, James Walker, Carlton Cole, Hayden Mullins, Luis Boa Morte

NUFC: Steve Harper, Habib Beye, Jose Enrique, David Edgar, Steven Taylor, Nicky Butt, Geremi, Joey Barton, Oba Martins, Michael Owen (c), Mark Viduka
Subs: Fraser Forster, Damien Duff, Lamine Diatta, Alan Smith, Andy Carroll

Referee: Uriah Rennie
Attendance: 34, 980

MAGPIES @ UPTON PARK - Premiership Years

2006/07: 2-0 Duff, Martins
2005/06: 4-2 Owen 3, Shearer
2002/03: 2-2 Bellamy, Jenas
2001/02: 0-3
2000/01: 0-1
1999/00: 1-2 Speed
1998/99: 0-2
1997/98: 1-0 Barnes
1996/97: 0-0
1995/96: 0-2
1994/95: 3-1 Lee, Mathie, OG
1993/94: 4-2 Cole, Lee 2, Mathie

FACTS AND FIGURES

For West Ham;

1. Last Saturday's 2-1 home win over Derby was their first victory in five, and second in nine.

2. Not managed back-to-back wins in 30 outings, since 3-0 victories over Reading (a) and Middlesbrough (h) on 1 and 15 September, respectively.

3. Already bagged six more points than in total for the whole of last season.

4. Their 35 games have produced just 79 goals (37 for, 42 against). At 2.26, it is the joint lowest goals per game return in the division - identical with Everton.

5. Completed 25 matches without a goalless draw; since the visit to Portsmouth on 27 October.

6. Only two of their 37 goals have come direct from outside the penalty area.

7. Won three of five this term, and four of the last six against North-East opposition.

8. This is their 250th home fixture in the Premier League; the last four of which have alternated between defeat and victory.

9. Won the last three home matches against North-East clubs; v Middlesbrough, Middlesbrough and Sunderland.

10. The run-in is:-

Manchester United (a)
Aston Villa (h)

For Newcastle;

1. Unbeaten in six; won four and drawn two since losing 3-0, away to Liverpool on 8 March.

2. Won four of 13 league games under Keegan; all four coming in the last five outings.

3. Kept clean sheets in four of five, including the last three. Not conceded in 334 minutes (five hours 34 minutes) since Darren Bent's consolation for Tottenham in the 1-4 victory at White Hart Lane on 30 March.

4. The current tally of 14 points out of 18 is their best sequence in 16 months, since 15 points out of 18 were accrued in the six pre-Christmas matches in 2006.

5. Conceded 58 goals this season; only Derby (76) and Reading (65) have shipped more.

6. Conceded 10 goals in the last five minutes; more than any other club.

7. The present total of 42 points after 35 games in on a par with last season, which ended with 43 points and 13th place; they're currently in 12th, five points outside the top 10.

8. Picked up five points out of nine on the road, after six straight league losses away from St James' Park.

9. Won two and lost two of their four visits to London this season.

10. The run-in is:-

Chelsea (h)
Everton (a)

REF WATCH

Uriah Rennie - Second time this season having taken charge of FA Cup Third Round replay victory over Stoke City in January.

TICKET NEWS

This fixture is sold out.