SAM WOKE WEST HAM FROM THEIR SLUMBER

WEST HAM UNITED 1 STOKE CITY FC 1

Very similar in some ways to the Man U game. Stoke got off to a particularly bright start,quietening the home crowd,unsettling the high flying home team.

The highlight of the first half,dominated by Stoke,was Walters' superb finish on 13 minutes to give us the lead. A Whelan corner from the right,played along the ground,was smashed in by our striker,after running from one side of the six yard box to the other,with various other team members successfully completing their tasks, in what was clearly a worked move.

We held the lead until the early minutes of the second half. Whatever Sam Alladyce said to his team at halftime it worked. For pretty much the whole of the half they were on top,going forward,and forcing Stoke into some frantic defending at times. The equaliser came on 48 minutes from fullback O'Brian from very close in.His first goal in the Premiership. Shades of Chelsea! Remember another fullback,who does not score many goals, notching a winner late on from close in.

The one that got away? During our period of first half control,and after Walters goal,N'Zonzi had first a sighter shot,which he then followed with a thunderous strike.The ball hit the bar then rebounded to the floor,and then out to safety.Had we gone in two goals up then the result could have been so different.