Sunday, October 18, 2009

Stoke City 2 West Ham United 1


The Premier League game between Stoke City and West Ham United at the Brittannia Stadium on Saturday, Oct 17 2009.

James Beattie ended his scoring drought in style with both goals as Stoke City not only avenged last May's defeat by West Ham United at the Britannia Stadium but also recorded their first home victory over the London club in 26 years.

Beattie's close-range winner, after Matthew Upson had cancelled out his early penalty, lifted Stoke into the top half of the Premier League. West Ham remain second from bottom, Gianfranco Zola's side having failed to win since the first day of the campaign at Wolves.

Stoke, who were fortunate that referee Martin Atkinson did not see Robert Huth strike Upson in the face late in the game, had been intent on putting a tame display in their previous home game, against Manchester United, behind them.

Their aggressive start was rewarded in the 11th minute following a back-heeled pass by Ricardo Fuller to Matthew Etherington.

The left-winger, who left Upton Park for the Potteries in January, tumbled heavily after Julien Faubert's ill-advised challenge. Beattie stepped up to thrash the penalty past Robert Green and into the roof of the net, the former England striker's first goal of the season.

West Ham responded neatly but lacked the penetration to trouble Thomas Sorensen on the Danish goalkeeper's 400th first-team appearance.

When they equalised, 11 minutes before half-time, Stoke were hoist by their own petard, being caught out by a set-piece.

From a corner swung in by Mark Noble, Sorensen set off to collect the ball only to hesitate in no-man's land.

His error was compounded when the normally commanding Abdoulaye Faye appeared to lose concentration, allowing Upson a free header.

West Ham dominated possession in the second half, but with 21 minutes remaining, Stoke counter-attacked to telling effect.

Salif Diao's pass saw Fuller cleverly evade Upson's rash challenge before crossing low to the far post. Green parried, but Beattie, under pressure from Faubert, managed to hook the ball home as he fell.

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