the current bun
Stoke give Hammers the heebie-Kebes
STOKE manager Tony Pulis has joined West Ham in the battle to sign Reading wide-man Jimmy Kebe.
But Royals boss Brian McDermott said of the 27-year-old Mali ace: "I want to keep Jimmy."
the current bun
Sheffield Wed 1 West Ham 0
NICKY WEAVER was a dead man walking and helped put a killer boot into the Hammers.
Wednesday's keeper produced two superb second-half saves — one from a penalty — before Chris O'Grady fired home a shock winner to book a fourth-round trip to Blackpool.
The League One side also had to survive an incredible ELEVEN nerve-racking minutes of added time, after Julian Bennett was taken to hospital following a clash of heads with team-mate Clinton Morrison.
Experienced stopper Weaver only returned to action on New Year's Eve, having flown to Ohio to see the surgeon who saved his career eight years ago with revolutionary treatment on his dodgy knee.
Sheffield-born Weaver, 32, said: "I still think I am the only footballer in Britain ever to have the dead man's cartilage transplant.
"That's why I wanted to go back and see the people who did it. They know my knee better than anyone." The visitors rarely troubled Weaver in the first half, though an early effort from Henri Lansbury rebounded off the former Manchester City star's stomach and on to the bar.
Wednesday should have taken the lead when O'Grady split the Hammers defence. But Jerm-aine Johnson could only shoot wide.
Sam Allardyce's men then showed more attacking intent and three minutes from the break they won a penalty after home skipper Rob Jones opted to upend Winston Reid.
Sam Baldock smashed the spot-kick towards the bottom corner, only to see Weaver fling himself to his right to save brilliantly.
Weaver again denied Baldock on 71 minutes, pushing the striker's fierce shot against an upright.
The Hammers paid with two minutes of normal time left.
O'Grady raced on to sub Morrison's pass before firing the ball under the body of Ruud Boffin for his fourth goal of the season.
Baldock and sub Frank Nouble both wasted chances to equalise during the lengthy extra period caused by Bennett's injury.
Wednesday boss Gary Megson said: "It was a nasty injury and Julian has gone to hospital. We'll have to see how he is.
"But to beat West Ham was a wonderful afternoon.
"I said to Sam 'Do you want to toss for it?' as neither of us wanted a replay. We both went for it.
"This place has had a nightmare 15 years but we're trying to get back so that these games are normal for us again."
The visitors' failure to convert their chances, with Freddie Sears also heading high over the top from close range, could see Allardyce increase his £3million bid for Huddersfield hotshot Jordan Rhodes.
He declared: "We did everything apart from not finishing.
"When I look at my squad, am I confident it is going to get enough goals from chances created? The answer to that is no.
"Weaver has been a fantastic keeper over the years.
"Our keeper should have dealt with their shot but he didn't and we are out of the Cup."
SUN STAR MAN NICKY WEAVER (Sheffield Wed). His stunning spot-kick save was crucial.
the mirror
Sheffield Wednesday 1-0 West Ham
Nicky Weaver was the spot-kick hero again – but Gary Megson refused to hail Wednesday’s win over West Ham as a giantkilling.
Weaver saved Sam Baldock’s penalty before Chris O’Grady’s late winner, then Megson claimed the Owls are too big to be cast as the minnows in a David v Goliath contest.
“We are a League One side because that is where we play our football. It’s not a giantkilling, it’s no big deal,” said the Sheffield Wednesday boss.
“Even if it was Man City or Man United, if you look back not too long ago, we were playing these games twice a year.
“This place has had a nightmare for 15 years and we’re trying to make it a ground where these kind of games are normal.”
Weaver’s save from Baldock revived memories of the 1999 Play-off Final when he gained immortality among Manchester City fans by denying Guy Butters in the shoot-out to clinch them promotion.
Megson was delighted he had not lost his touch in what was only his third game back after four months out.
He said: “That save from Nicky Weaver was marvellous. If that had gone in it would have been a different game completely.” Hammers boss Sam Allardyce praised Weaver, but felt his Championship side created more than enough chances to win.
He said: “He has been a fantastic goalkeeper over the years and under Joe Royle he had the best clean sheet record Manchester City had had up to that point.
“We did everything right apart from not taking our chances, and not scoring the penalty.”
Four minutes after half-time, Weaver denied Baldock from the spot after Reda Johnson had brought down Winston Reid.
Weaver thwarted Baldock again when he got his fingertips to a shot from the former MK Dons striker and touched it on to the inside of the far post.
West Ham should have known then it was not going to be their afternoon and, two minutes from time, Clinton Morrison played O’Grady through on the left and his angled drive went under goalkeeper Ruud Boffin.
“It was a nothing shot which the goalkeeper should have saved comfortably, but he didn’t and we are out,” moaned Big Sam.
Wednesday’s win was marred by a head injury to Julian Bennett who was taken off on stretcher and rushed to the city’s Northern General Hospital following a collision with Morrison.
“He got hurt making a great clearance and hopefully it’s not as bad as it looks,” said Megson.
the star
: O’Grady is thrilled after seeing off West Ham
SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY 1 WEST HAM 0: WEAVER HAS KNEES-UP AS OWLS NICK IT
O’Grady is thrilled after seeing off West Ham
Wednesday’s veteran keeper was rewarded for a stunning display as Chris O’Grady grabbed a dramatic 88th-minute winner to seal a fourth-round trip to Blackpool
Wednesday’s veteran keeper was rewarded for a stunning display as Chris O’Grady grabbed a dramatic 88th-minute winner to seal a fourth-round trip to Blackpool.
Well-travelled Weaver, 32, is fresh from a SIXTH operation on his cartilage – one of which involved having a dead man’s ligament grafted in.
And the keeper underlined his return to fitness after four months out with a second-half penalty save from Sam Baldock, awarded for Reda Johnson’s foul on Winston Reid.
It was a day to forget for striker Baldock, who saw Weaver fingertip his goal-bound angled drive on to the inside of a post.
The keeper also pushed Henri Lansbury’s snap-shot on to the bar.
O’Grady topped off a gutsy display from Megson’s League One promotion hopefuls, thrashing in a powerful angled drive from inside the area.
There were one or two nervy moments during 11 minutes of stoppage time, added after a serious injury to Wednesday midfielder Julian Bennett, taken to hospital in a neck brace with a facial injury.
But Wednesday had plenty of chances too, with Jermaine Johnson guilty of a glaring early miss, and James Tavernier and Danny Batth going close too.
Megson, whose Owls side are unbeaten at home, said: “If the penalty goes in, then things are obviously different but the save that Nicky made was a marvellous one, all credit to him.”
West Ham boss Sam Allardyce, who left Newcastle transfer target James Tomkins on the bench, is still on the trail of £4m-rated Huddersfield hotshot Jordan Rhodes.
Allardyce said: “We’ve already made offers for six or seven players that have been unsuccessful, but we’ll keep trying to acquire new players if it’s at all possible.”
the mail
Miss: Sam Baldock's penalty is saved by Nicky Weaver
Winner: Chris O'Grady drills home in the 89th minute
High hopes: West Ham's Gary O'Neil challenges with Julian Bennett
Cup-set: O'Grady is mobbed after his winner
Down and out: Sam Allardyce won't be happy with his side's performanceSheffield Wednesday 1 West Ham 0: Penalty king Weaver rolls back the years in Owls win
Spot-kick expert Nicky Weaver produced a stunning penalty save as Sheffield Wednesday added a late entry to the list of FA Cup third-round upsets at a vibrant Hillsborough.
The goalkeeper, who made two penalty stops in Manchester City’s shootout win in the Second Division play-off final against Gillingham in 1999, proved he has not lost his touch after Reda Johnson was penalised for a 48th-minute challenge on Winston Reid.
There was nothing especially wrong with Sam Baldock’s resulting kick — it was struck with conviction and accuracy — but Weaver was equal to it with a flying save that became all the more significant two minutes from time.
MATCH FACTS
Sheff Wed: Weaver, Otsemobor, R Jones, Batth, Bennett (Lowe 87), Tavernier (D Jones 72), Semedo, Lines, R Johnson (Morrison 59), O'Grady, J Johnson.
Subs Not Used: Bywater, Prutton, Palmer, Beevers.
Booked: Morrison.
Goal: O'Grady 88.
West Ham: Boffin, O'Brien, Reid, McCartney, Potts, O'Neil (Montenegro 78), Collison, Lansbury, Sears (Hall 72), Baldock, Carew (Nouble 65).
Subs Not Used: Green, Tomkins, Diop, Lee.
Booked: McCartney, Potts, O'Neil.
Referee: Keith Stroud (Hampshire).
Attendance: 17,916
Wednesday defender Julian Bennett had just been taken off on a stretcher when Chris O’Grady sprinted down the right and hit an angled drive that West Ham goalkeeper Ruud Boffin allowed to slip under his dive.
O’Grady hit it crisply enough, but it still didn’t look good for Boffin, as a disgruntled Sam Allardyce confirmed afterwards.
‘It was a nothing shot that the keeper should have dealt with,’ said the West Ham manager.
‘That was it for us. No second chance after that. We’re out of the cup.
‘We have put offers in for six or seven players, but all have been unsuccessful. We will keep trying, because it is a worry for me that we can keep creating chances and keep missing them.’
Allardyce added: ‘Perhaps I shouldn’t have been that surprised by the penalty save.
Chris O'Grady
‘When Nicky was at City, I seem to remember Joe Royle had the best clean-sheet record the club had ever had.’
Allardyce may have appeared downcast, but Wednesday manager Gary Megson suggested his West Ham counterpart might not have been that put out at seeing the deadlock broken.
‘To be honest, the last thing either of us wanted was a replay and I turned to Sam near the end and suggested tossing a coin to see who should go through,’ said the Wednesday manager.
‘I’m glad it’s us, but it was a worry to see Julian stretchered off like that.’
Bennett’s facial injury and the treatment he received led to a delay of nearly 10 minutes.
Megson said: ‘He has gone to hospital to have a nasty facial injury assessed and we’ll know more later.’
West Ham fans bucked the trend of public apathy towards the Cup.
In stark contrast to the rows of empty seats at other grounds, around 3,500 supporters packed the away end.
They might not, however, have appreciated such a close-up view of what was far and away the clearest chance of the first half, as O’Grady threaded an inch-perfect ball through to Jermaine Johnson in the 19th minute.
An already stretched West Ham defence was suddenly bereft of cover, as Johnson expertly sidestepped the challenge of Reid and set himself for a one-on-one with Boffin.
Ideally placed at barely eight yards out, there should have been only one outcome, yet to the relief of the West Ham contingent behind Boffin’s goal, the Wednesday striker wastefully sidefooted his shot wide.
Baldock challenged Johnson for missed opportunity of the match when he failed to score from the spot, although he could point to extenuating circumstances, given the breathtaking reflexes with which Weaver denied him.
It was a brilliant stop by the 32-year-old goalkeeper and Baldock must have realised his luck was out when Weaver’s heroics frustrated him again in the 70th minute.
The West Ham striker could hardly have caught the ball any more cleanly, but the ever-agile Weaver got his fingertips to the shot and nudged the ball onto the post.
With the fourth official preparing to signal an additional 11 minutes, owing to the lengthy treatment for Bennett, O’Grady made his decisive contribution to set up a fourth-round meeting with Blackpool for Megson’s rejuvenated side.
the mail
West Ham up their bid for Huddersfield hotshot Rhodes after Scot's five-star show
West Ham are revising their bid for Huddersfield's in-demand striker Jordan Rhodes.
Sportsmail revealed that manager Sam Allardyce had offered £4million for Rhodes, 21, last week, but Huddersfield insist he is not for sale, particularly after his five-goal show against Wycombe attracted more interest from Premier League clubs such as Everton.
However, West Ham think the player wants to join them and will offer £4.5m with more cash up front, to further test Huddersfield’s resolve.
the express
Chris O'Grady celebrates his matchwinner
SHEFFIELD WED 1 - WEST HAM 0: WEDNESDAY SHOWMORE WILLING TO WORRY BIG SAM ALLARDYCE
AT A stadium which has hosted some famous and infamous semi-finals Sheffield Wednesday created a vivid FA Cup memory of their own.
A goal by striker Chris O’Grady five minutes from time gave the League One promotion candidates a deserved triumph over Championship high flyers West Ham and a fourth-round tie at Blackpool.
It was a victory for the manager who wanted to win the tie the more, with Gary Megson making just two changes from his side’s previous league game, despite a huge match in the offing against leaders Charlton at Hillsborough this Saturday. His opposite number Sam Allardyce made seven.
“It was a wonderful afternoon. I just wanted to keep this run going as long as we can,” said Megson of his strong team selection, one which ultimately preserved an unbeaten home record. “We firmly believe we can cope with the physical challenges because of the hard training schedule we have and, having built up some momentum in the last two games, we didn’t want to lose it.”
It showed. Wednesday’s hunger was the greater from the outset and they might have had a lead when O’Grady fed in fellow striker Jermaine Johnson with a sumptuous through ball.
It was a wonderful afternoon. I just wanted to keep this run going as long as we can
Gary Megson
Johnson somehow sent his shot wide though, with Ruud Boffin floundering in the visitors’ goal.
Soon after, Danny Batth headed Julian Bennett’s long throw just wide, while at the other end, West Ham’s first-half threat was limited to a shot by Henri Lansbury, which was turned on to the top of the crossbar by Nicky Weaver, and a Jack Collison header over from a cross by Freddie Sears .
It looked as if all that would change two minutes into the second half.
Reda Johnson was adjudged to have brought down Winston Reid and West Ham were awarded a penalty. Former Manchester City keeper Weaver dived to turn aside Sam Baldock’s spot-kick, however, and it breathed fire into a tie that had been flickering.
Wednesday seized the initiative, with Clinton Morrison introduced up front to provide new impetus and industrious midfielder Chris Lines and O’Grady both saw shots blocked.
West Ham did have their moments, Weaver turning Baldock’s low shot on to a post, but workmanlike Wednesday remained the more menacing, reacting the better after a long delay due to a nasty facial injury to Bennett which sent him to the nearby Northern General Hospital.
With West Ham slow to get back into the game, Morrison was given time to supply Lines, who sent O’Grady through for a low cross-shot that squirmed under Boffin’s body.
Substitute Frank Nouble did have a late chance for the Hammers but slashed a volley over the bar from six yards to leave Allardyce lamenting his side’s finishing.
“Performance wise I was delighted in many areas but we have to start taking our chances, not just in the cup but in the league as well,” he said. “It’s a bit worrying when I look around my squad and ask myself if there are enough goals in there and the answer is no.”
He had, he said, made offers for “six or seven players” to bolster the squad this month ahead of a Premier League promotion push and the club can be expected to double their efforts for a striker.
The bargains are out there – Wednesday paid Rochdale £350,000 for O’Grady last summer and will get it back and some from yesterday’s share of a 17,916 gate and the Blackpool tie. “It will be nice to see Olly again,” said Megson of the renewal of acquaintance with the Championship club’s charismatic manager Ian Holloway.
“They’re a good side and it will be difficult, but our focus now is on Charlton at home.”
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big sam on cup defeat
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Goal.com
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Full story: 101 Great Goals
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