Hammers trip up north ends in soggy goalless draw

The Hammers’ trip up to St James’ Park ended in a soggy rained soaked 0-0 draw.

The Hammers now have 4 points from a possible 6. It was to be the game we expected, end to end stuff and a tough match to boot but with neither side being able to stamp any authority on the game in the first half.

Alan Pardew holds his head in his hands after Yoan Gouffran’s howler

West Ham pressured Newcastle better in the second half and the Hammers had more ball possession to show for it. Under pressure Pardew will be kicking himself though as French striker Yoan Gouffran missed putting the Hammers to the sword late in the second half.

A cross came in from the keeper’s right and had him beat as it just clip the crossbar. The ball fell at Gouffran’s feet and he put it over the top, much to the frustration of his boss.

Pardew said of Gouffran’s last-gasp calamity: “He’ll be sweating on the Christmas gaffes for miss of the season.

“It was a great little floated cross from Sammy – I thought that was in. ­Unfortunately for Gouffran, it was the wrong side of him.

West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce said of Gouffran’s faux pas: “I would have been sick if that fluke had ended up in the net. We had a goal ­disallowed, it looked like it was offside.

West Ham new boy Stewart Downing couldn’t make much of an impression on the soaking pitch and was replaced by Joe Cole. It’s early days and Downing will no doubt get another shot.

Nolan should have punished his old side and put the game to bed in the second half with his header looping over the bar with the cross being provided by Downing.

West Ham’s Maiga did happen to find the net only for his effort to be ruled offside.

Gouffran came on for Cisse ­but Newcastle couldn’t break the deadlock either. It was a game scarce of real chances and i suppose a nil nil draw was about the best result for both sides.