Hull City 3-3 West Ham

By: Martin | November 23rd, 2009

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Just what we didn’t need, another draw. I, like most Hammers fans, was expecting three points against a side that is really struggling and a Hull manager who is under fire every week. But again, it was not to be.

Things started well as within a minute a rocket from Valon Behrami almost made it one-nil and then a blocked shot from Carlton Cole. But it only took less than five minutes for new boy Guillermo Franco to get on the score sheet with a nicely nodded in effort from a Junior Stanislas corner. The ex- Villarreal striker brings his tally to two for the year and I think he will reach double digits by season’s end. The game certainly looked winnable five minutes later when Jack Collison picked up on a long pass from goalscorer, Franco, and nodded number two past Hull’s reverse goalie.

Hull looked pretty beaten up, but somehow got back into the game with a fluke of a goal. Hull’s Bullard took a free kick which pinballed off Scott Parker and then Carlton Cole before hitting the back of the net. It probably was not the way in which Cole wanted to score his ninth of the season.

The rest of the first half could not have gone worse for the Hammers, after being two up within ten minutes, it was all square three minutes before half time. Another free kick ended up at the feet of Zayatte and it was two a piece. But that was followed with a terrible referring decision in stoppage time. Julien Faubert was being backed into by Craig Fagan and for some unknown reason the ref pointed to the spot. Bullard converted the penalty and it was a grim half time.

The Hammers came out for the second half with some spirit which led to a great run by Scott Parker who was knocked down by a professional foul by Hull’s Mendy who got the red card. The man advantage gave the Hammers the chance they needed and in the 68th minute another new boy Manuel Da Costa fired in from close range after a precision cross by Junior Stanislas. After the equalizer, the Hammers were on the march for the winner. Luis Jimenez came close as did Jack Collison but the winner alluded the Hammers and one point was the reward for the trip up north. With Bolton’s loss at least the Hammers are out of the bottom three for the week.