Only three people know how this dramatic night will effect the future of Avram Grant. Gold, Sullivan and Brady all were present at Upton Park this evening and will have seen finally some real spirit in the squad.
West Ham started the game in sizzling fashion - zipping the ball around the park with Mark Noble and Jonathan Spector gave Steven Carr and Liam Ridgewell a torrid time, with Frederik Piquionne and Victor Obinna moving freely around the box. It took just 13 minutes for West Ham to break the deadlock - Noble drove forward to the right hand side of the box before his chipped ball found itself pinging around the Birmingham box before Freddie Sears sent the ball back towards Noble - who fired in a near-post drive past Ben Foster.
West Ham built on the momentum and were unlucky not to get a second when James Tompkins header narrowly missed from a corner. Five minutes later, Tompkins was unfortunate not to score again - almost same position.
As the second half began, Birmingham were forced into taking off the impressive Scott Dann to bring on David Murphy, who gave Birmingham some strength on the left side of defence. Birmingham fired out of the traps like the favourite at the 15:05 at Sandown Park - Alex Hleb showed some of the class that he had in his Arsenal and AC Milan days, Barry Ferguson began to follow Scott Parker around the middle and Sebastien Larsson had a much bigger creative license. It was this that lead to a period of sustained pressure that Birmingham won corner after corner and it was only a matter of time until Liam Ridgewell leveled the game with a bullet header. The impressive Larsson's deliveries were beginning to trouble the Hammers defence - who were beginning to creak.
What West Ham did not need was to lose a man. Victor Obinna however had other ideas - Obinna's straight red card for kicking the *ahem* ball(s) of Larsson was petulant and silly. West Ham were really under the cosh now - Birmingham had a Cameron Jerome header cleared off the line by Spector and should have doubled the lead when Ridgewell ghosted past the Upson and Faubert at a Larsson free kick - the Referee's assistant however raised his flag. Birmingham had a very good penalty appeal turned down when Upson barged into Barry Ferguson, with West Ham's luck slowly beginning to change. Piquionne was replaced by the sometimes frustrating carlton Cole - who ten minutes later gave West Ham the winner after some woeful defending from City. Cole's scuffed strike trickled towards Foster who somehow managed to paw the ball under his groin and send the Hammers fans into raptures.
The game ended predictable, West Ham defended deep and took every opportunity to wind the clock down. Cole said at full time the result was for the manager. Maybe Grant might get to the weekend just yet.
WAHS's Man of the Match - Liam Ridgewell - was unlucky not to get a couple and one lapse of concentration cost Birmingham the tie - but Ridgewell was the rock that held West Ham off in the first Half. 7/10.
WAHS's Villan of the match - Victor Obinna. Did nothing outstanding and lashed out at Larsson. Disappointing and thuggish. 2/10.
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