The hammers snatched a deserved late equalizer at Elland Road this afternoon after going one nil down to Leeds United.
As far as possession was concerned it was more or less 50 50 and for the whole match it was anybody’s game.Both teams had everything to play for this afternoon with the hammers sitting in 3rd place behind Reading and The Saints and neil Warnock’s leeds United bringing up the rear in tenth position in the championship.
The irons now have 68 points and sit behind Reading who are on 73 points after thrashing Barnsley 0-4 away.Southampton stay top with 75 points after beating Iron’s rival Millwall 2-3 at Cold Blow Lane.
On 35 minutes leeds got a free kick just outside the Hammers’ penalty area after Matt Taylor was adjudged to have handled the ball. Leads man Snodgrass sent in a lovely curling effort that just went wide of Rob Green’s post. After the free kick Taylor continued to have words with the linesman as he felt he had been judged too harshly.
West Ham have been unbeaten in their last seven games with 3 wins and 4 draws – the draws all being a Upton Park, by the way. on 40 minutes, Adam Clayton for Leeds fashioned a chance and struck just wide of keeper Green’s post – looks like Rob had that one covered, though.
3,000 West Ham fans made the trip to Elland Road and the last five minutes of the first half saw a flurry of attacks from the irons. A very competitive first half and anybody’s game!
After the break Snodgrass found the net on 47 minutes from a throw in but the ref already blew his whistle for a scuffle he saw on the near post. Lucky escape for the Irons!
Leeds pressed on regardless and White found space to shoot which ended up wide and to the left of Rob Green’s post. With 53 minutes on the clock Connolly headed into the arms of Green. 55 minutes saw Maynard off and Carlton Cole on.
On 69 minutes Paul Connolly with a flick of the head failed to find the net and was saved by the Robster. Connolly has yet to score for leeds and that might have been his first goal.
With just 8 minutes remaining Neil Warnock was praying for a late goal to give leeds a 3 point lifeline and it came. Danny Webber’s cross found Connolly who headed against the crossbar only to fall for Luciano Becchio to shoot home and give Green no chance. leeds were ecstatic with their goal and this happens to be the fourth late goal that Leeds score against the Hammers in a row!
The Hammers then went on to equalize on 89 minutes and grab a share of the spoils, too! Danny Collins headed home from a cross from Mark Noble to level the scores at 1 apiece. The ref adds 4 minutes of extra time and it’s end to end stuff. On 93 minutes O’neil could have stolen the game for West Ham united but it wasn’t to be and ends up a draw.
Leeds United
01 Lonergan
02 Connolly
22 Lees
28 White (Webber – 76′ )
33 Robinson Booked
48 O’Dea
08 Brown Booked
15 Clayton
10 Becchio
23 Snodgrass
44 McCormack (Forssell – 76′ )
Substitutes
29 Thompson
16 Pugh
20 Nunez
18 Forssell
25 Webber
West Ham United
01 Green
03 McCartney
05 Tomkins (O’Neil – 46′ )
15 Faye
17 O’Brien
25 Collins
04 Nolan
10 Collison (Morrison – 81′ )
14 Taylor
16 Noble Booked
08 Maynard (Cole – 56′ )
Substitutes
13 Henderson
23 Morrison
32 O’Neil
07 Baldock
09 Cole
Referee: Walton
Attendance: 33,366
