Nationwide Division One
Norwich City 1 West Ham United 1
Saturday, 21st February 2004
by Graeme Howlett
West Ham went into the game still unbeaten away from home in the league under Alan Pardew, and it was the visitors who started the brighter of the two, with Jon Harley and Matthew Etherington fizzing early shots just over the Norwich goal.
And with the likes of Nigel Reo-Coker and Bobby Zamora returning to the side following their enforced absence against Fulham last week the Hammers looked the stronger of the two sides for much of the opening exchanges.
However Stephen Bywater - who gained his first clean sheet at Fulham last weekend - still had to be on guard to deny Brennan and Roberts.
With so much at stake in this game it was unlikely that it would pass without any moments of controversy; the first of those duly arrived 7 minutes before the break, when Marlon Harewood reacted to a poor challenge from McVeigh by barging the Norwich player over.
Somewhat disconcertingly however the Norwich man dropped to the ground as if he had been shot in a disgraceful display of play-acting; fortunately on this occasion referee Olivier wasn't taken in - although many observers felt McVeigh shouldn't have gone unpunished for such a blatant act of what has been termed 'sportsmanship' (although there doesn't seem to be anything sportsmanlike about that kind of behaviour!).
Despite neither side managing to break the deadlock before the break, both mangers sent out the same teams for the second period. After a quiet start to the half Carrow Road - including the new stand which was opened before the game by former Hammers John Bond and Martin Peters - erupted after Hayden Mullins appeared to handle the ball on the edge of the box. Fortunately for the Hammers the infringement was adjudged to have taken place just outside the box.
The breakthrough came on the hour mark. Bobby Zamora released Marlon Harewood just outside the box, and the former Nottingham Forest striker slammed the ball home from all of 25 yards. A deserved lead - but could the Hammers hold on?
In a word? No. Because for the 14th time this season Pardew's men let a lead slip when Darren Huckerby snatched the equaliser fifteen minutes from time.
Responsibility for the goal fell squarely on the shoulders of Tomas Repka, who, it must be said, had had a decent game up until that point. Trying to direct a long ball back to Steve Bywater his weak header was intercepted by the pacy Huckerby, who rounded the prone Bywater to level the scores. Just one error - but what a costly one it proved to be.
Although there were no more goals, things got worse for the Hammers when Matthew Etherington received a second yellow card six minutes from time for failing to place the ball inside the quarter-circle for a corner. The Hammers contingent were dumbstruck - and that's probably the first time anyone has ever been sent of for trying to take a corner.
Alan Pardew, livid with that and one or two other decisions by the referee during the game told reporters after the game:
I am disappointed with the result, but more than anything I am disappointed with the referee - I thought he was weak and meek. Sending Matthew off was an absolutely ridiculous decision.
"The sending-off doesn't affect the game, but it might affect another one because it looks as though we are going to lose Matthew through suspension.
"Matthew didn't understand what he was talking about, he thought there was an incident going on somewhere else.
"He didn't realise the crowd were laying into him because they thought the ball was outside the triangle.
"I've lost a player, a very good player because of a ridiculous incident and I was very frustrated."
Eyes return to the FA Cup where the Hammers meet Fulham next in the fifth round replay at Upton Park on Tuesday night - with a visit to Old Trafford in the quarter-finals the prize for the winners.
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Comments to follow.
Jon Harley
Comments to follow.
Hayden Mullins
Comments to follow.
Christian Dailly
Comments to follow.
Tomas Repka
Comments to follow.
Nigel Reo-Coker
Comments to follow.
Michael Carrick
Comments to follow.
Marlon Harewood
Comments to follow.
Matthew Etherington
Comments to follow.
Bobby Zamora
Comments to follow.
David Connolly
Comments to follow.
(Replaced Connolly, 73) Comments to follow.
Brian Deane
(Replaced Zamora, 90) Comments to follow.
Pavel Srnicek
Did not play.
Andy Melville
Did not play.
Jobi McAnuff
Did not play.
Goals: Marlon Harewood 60 .
Booked: Matthew Etherington 85 .
Sent Off: Matthew Etherington 84 .
Norwich City: Green, Edworthy, Mackay, Fleming, Drury, McVeigh, Francis, Holt, Brennan, Roberts, Huckerby.
Subs not used: , McKenzie, Mulryne, Henderson.
Goals: Huckerby (70).
Booked: None booked..
Sent off: None.
Referee: R.Olivier.
Attendance: 23,940.
Man of the Match: tbc.
Norwich City 1 West Ham United 1
Saturday, 21st February 2004
by Graeme Howlett
West Ham remain unbeaten away from home in the league under Alan Pardew after holding Division One leaders Norwich to a 1-1 draw at Carrow Road.
But the Hammers will come away from the game ruing the fact that they could have taken all three. However a string of missed opportunities - plus a howler from Tomas Repka - allowed the home side to snatch a point deep into the second half thanks to a Darren Huckerby strike deep into the second half.West Ham went into the game still unbeaten away from home in the league under Alan Pardew, and it was the visitors who started the brighter of the two, with Jon Harley and Matthew Etherington fizzing early shots just over the Norwich goal.
And with the likes of Nigel Reo-Coker and Bobby Zamora returning to the side following their enforced absence against Fulham last week the Hammers looked the stronger of the two sides for much of the opening exchanges.
However Stephen Bywater - who gained his first clean sheet at Fulham last weekend - still had to be on guard to deny Brennan and Roberts.
With so much at stake in this game it was unlikely that it would pass without any moments of controversy; the first of those duly arrived 7 minutes before the break, when Marlon Harewood reacted to a poor challenge from McVeigh by barging the Norwich player over.
Somewhat disconcertingly however the Norwich man dropped to the ground as if he had been shot in a disgraceful display of play-acting; fortunately on this occasion referee Olivier wasn't taken in - although many observers felt McVeigh shouldn't have gone unpunished for such a blatant act of what has been termed 'sportsmanship' (although there doesn't seem to be anything sportsmanlike about that kind of behaviour!).
Despite neither side managing to break the deadlock before the break, both mangers sent out the same teams for the second period. After a quiet start to the half Carrow Road - including the new stand which was opened before the game by former Hammers John Bond and Martin Peters - erupted after Hayden Mullins appeared to handle the ball on the edge of the box. Fortunately for the Hammers the infringement was adjudged to have taken place just outside the box.
The breakthrough came on the hour mark. Bobby Zamora released Marlon Harewood just outside the box, and the former Nottingham Forest striker slammed the ball home from all of 25 yards. A deserved lead - but could the Hammers hold on?
In a word? No. Because for the 14th time this season Pardew's men let a lead slip when Darren Huckerby snatched the equaliser fifteen minutes from time.
Responsibility for the goal fell squarely on the shoulders of Tomas Repka, who, it must be said, had had a decent game up until that point. Trying to direct a long ball back to Steve Bywater his weak header was intercepted by the pacy Huckerby, who rounded the prone Bywater to level the scores. Just one error - but what a costly one it proved to be.
Although there were no more goals, things got worse for the Hammers when Matthew Etherington received a second yellow card six minutes from time for failing to place the ball inside the quarter-circle for a corner. The Hammers contingent were dumbstruck - and that's probably the first time anyone has ever been sent of for trying to take a corner.
Alan Pardew, livid with that and one or two other decisions by the referee during the game told reporters after the game:
I am disappointed with the result, but more than anything I am disappointed with the referee - I thought he was weak and meek. Sending Matthew off was an absolutely ridiculous decision.
"The sending-off doesn't affect the game, but it might affect another one because it looks as though we are going to lose Matthew through suspension.
"Matthew didn't understand what he was talking about, he thought there was an incident going on somewhere else.
"He didn't realise the crowd were laying into him because they thought the ball was outside the triangle.
"I've lost a player, a very good player because of a ridiculous incident and I was very frustrated."
Eyes return to the FA Cup where the Hammers meet Fulham next in the fifth round replay at Upton Park on Tuesday night - with a visit to Old Trafford in the quarter-finals the prize for the winners.
Want to submit your match reports to KUMB.com? More details here ...
Click to view all West Ham United vs Norwich City match reports
Click to view all match reports by Graeme Howlett
Like to share your thoughts on this article? Please visit the KUMB Forum to leave a comment.
Player Ratings
Stephen BywaterComments to follow.
Jon Harley
Comments to follow.
Hayden Mullins
Comments to follow.
Christian Dailly
Comments to follow.
Tomas Repka
Comments to follow.
Nigel Reo-Coker
Comments to follow.
Michael Carrick
Comments to follow.
Marlon Harewood
Comments to follow.
Matthew Etherington
Comments to follow.
Bobby Zamora
Comments to follow.
David Connolly
Comments to follow.
Substitutes
Adam Nowland(Replaced Connolly, 73) Comments to follow.
Brian Deane
(Replaced Zamora, 90) Comments to follow.
Pavel Srnicek
Did not play.
Andy Melville
Did not play.
Jobi McAnuff
Did not play.
Match Facts
West Ham United: Stephen Bywater, Jon Harley, Hayden Mullins, Christian Dailly, Tomas Repka, Nigel Reo-Coker, Michael Carrick, Marlon Harewood, Matthew Etherington, Bobby Zamora, David Connolly.Goals: Marlon Harewood 60 .
Booked: Matthew Etherington 85 .
Sent Off: Matthew Etherington 84 .
Norwich City: Green, Edworthy, Mackay, Fleming, Drury, McVeigh, Francis, Holt, Brennan, Roberts, Huckerby.
Subs not used: , McKenzie, Mulryne, Henderson.
Goals: Huckerby (70).
Booked: None booked..
Sent off: None.
Referee: R.Olivier.
Attendance: 23,940.
Man of the Match: tbc.