Nationwide Division One
West Ham United 3 Sunderland 2

Saturday, 13th December 2003
by Ryan McGill

Did this game mark a turning point for this season, or did it see the avoidance of one?

While this thrilling fightback against a direct promotion rival will hopefully signal an upward turn in the team?EUR(TM)s fortunes, what?EUR(TM)s more significant is that Alan Pardew narrowly avoided using up the last of his goodwill with the West Ham crowd. Recent discontented mumerings concerning Pardew?EUR(TM)s poor run of results were becoming louder at 2-0 down, and it was very much a case of ?EUR~win or bust?EUR(TM) for the credibility of the former Reading manager.

Pardew rang the changes following the unacceptably limp home defeat to Stoke. The 3-4-3 was replaced by an offensive looking 4-3-3 formation, with Defoe and Etherington returning from injury and suspension, and Horlock replacing the injured Carrick in midfield.

As has become the norm under Pardew the Hammers went for the throat straight from the kick off. Caught off-guard the Sunderland defence conceded a free-kick in the opening minute of the game, which the returning Defoe swung onto the head of Horlock, who directed the ball narrowly wide of the post.

To prove that West Ham don?EUR(TM)t have the patient on good early starts, two minutes later Sunderland were ahead. A long ball was launched to the edge of the Hammer?EUR(TM)s box where Ian Pearce?EUR(TM)s attempted back-header fell well short of the onrushing David James. Attempting to rescue the situation James slid out of his area to clear the ball with his feet, missing his kick entirely. Sunderland?EUR(TM)s Tommy Smith was lurking, and his cross from the left was dispatched into the empty net by Jason McAteer.

Following recent disappointments the home fans could have been forgiven for turning on their team, but instead they raised the noise level another notch and the team responded by pressuring their visitors. However, while West Ham enjoyed an extended spell of possession football, with the returning Etherington providing welcome width, there was a distinct lack of punch in front of goal.

Predictably the man most likely to score was Defoe. His close control and workrate had Sunderland in panic mode, and he was unlucky not to equalise in the 22nd
minute. Ghosting past three defenders on the edge of the box, he found a gap and shot against the foot of the post. Connelly collected the rebound, but uncharacteristically refused to fall following a challenge from the visiting ?EUR~keeper Mart Poom and was forced wide.

Typical of West Ham?EUR(TM)s recent luck, against the run of play Sunderland scored again, doubling the home supporter?EUR(TM)s misery on the half hour. Again James was at fault. Diving low to collect an angled shot from Marcus Stewart, the ball slipped from his grasp and broke loose to Oster who thrashed it into the roof of the net. In mitigation it was raining heavily at that point, but James?EUR(TM) earlier mistake reduced the temptation to offer him the benefit of the doubt.

The home supporter?EUR(TM)s levels of anger and frustration went through the roof soon after, when the referee refused to book Sunderland?EUR(TM)s Wright for a rugby tackle in the penalty area on Connelly. This was one of a series of unpunished nasty ?EUR~tackles?EUR(TM) by Sunderland players, and another followed in the 37th minute when Oster assaulted Harewood on the half-way line.

Enter Tomas Repka, the Czech Charles Bronson, who personified the fan?EUR(TM)s frustration by swinging a punch at the Sunderland goalscorer! The referee was not impressed (showing him a yellow card), and neither was his Captain Dailly (who delivered a to-the-point oral rebuke), but the home supporters loved it and his name echoed around the stadium.

By now the mood among the supporters was one of open dissent, and the half-time break was ushered in by loud and sustained calls for the resignation of Chairman Terry Brown, and the first open calls for the removal of Pardew. The split between the club, the team and the fans was the widest I can remember since the Bond scheme of the early 90?EUR(TM)s. This was a situation on the verge of meltdown; the team had to get it right in the second half!

The first steps towards the revival were taken when them team ran out after the break minus Wayne Quinn, the malfunctioning full-back. Don Hutchinson had been introduced into the midfield, with Horlock now nominally filling in at left-back.

However, it was Sunderland who came closest to re-opening the scoring when midfielder Whitley was found in splendid isolation on the edge of the West Ham box, only to see his fierce drive beat James, but not the crossbar.

Encouraged by their close escape the Hammers poured forward, and on 54 minutes the unlikely saviour Brian Deane was introduced for the ineffectual Harewood. It was to prove a match turning substitution as the big man?EUR(TM)s first touch saw him nod down a long ball to Connolly. The number eight?EUR(TM)s snap shot was saved by Poom, but Defoe attacked the rebound and drilled it into the net.

Six minutes later the scores were level. Etherington powered down the left and pulled the ball back to the waiting Defoe who took one touch and then blasted the ball from distance into the top right of the goal.

Sunderland were now rocking on their heels, and West Ham were desperately searching for the killer blow. However, their threat had been reduced by the substitution of the exhausted Etherington, and the blanket rearguard action staged by the visitors.

With only ten minutes remaining on the clock the comeback was completed with a rare goal from defender Ian Pearce. The increasingly ragged looking Sunderland defence conceded a free-kick to the right of the box, and Horlock launched a quick inswinger across the face of goal. The ball evaded everyone, hit the far post and landed in front of the waiting Pearce who shot into the gaping goal. For once West Ham had been given a lucky break, and the ghost of the West Brom collapse earlier in the season had been exorcised.

At the final whistle joy was unconfined. Alan Pardew ran onto the pitch and embraced the talismanic Repka, before celebrating in front of the Bobby Moore stand. Pardew?EUR(TM)s defiant clenched fist perfectly summed up the feelings of the fans, we?EUR(TM)d taken a couple of heavy blows but for once we?EUR(TM)d got back off the canvas and won.

Pardew looks to have dodged the knock out punch that was coming at half time, now well see if he can make West Ham into contenders for the title?

* Want to submit your match reports to KUMB.com? More details here ...

 Click to view all West Ham United vs Sunderland match reports

 Click to view all match reports by Ryan McGill

Like to share your thoughts on this article? Please visit the KUMB Forum to leave a comment.


Player Ratings

David James
Directly at fault for both goals, but his confident second half performance was vital in restricting Sunderland?EUR(TM)s lead. Playing in the anonymity of the Nationwide league could ironically protect his international place.


Tomas Repka
Embodied the fan?EUR(TM)s frustration in the first half with his ?EUR~fists of justice?EUR(TM). Recipient of several deserved standing ovations (most notably when ?EUR~in conversation?EUR(TM) with the referee).


Wayne Quinn
Kenny Dalgleish, Ruud Gullit, Bobby Robson, Neil Warnock and Trevor Brooking have all selected Quinn in their first XI! He must be dynamite in training.


Christian Dailly
Lack of understanding with James was again a feature of his performance. Improved in the second half, and made a number of forward runs witch unsettled the Mackem?EUR(TM)s defence.


Matthew Etherington
Welcome return for the wing wizard. Instrumental in Defoe?EUR(TM)s equaliser before giving way to fatigue.


Kevin Horlock
Showed his versatility by playing in three different positions during this match. His free-kick created the winning goal.


Hayden Mullins
Still yet to totally convince, but shored up the right-hand side of midfield when he swapped positions with Hutchinson in the second half.


Jermain Defoe
Constant menace to the Sunderland back four, and looked the only West Ham player likely to score. Will take our promotion chances with him if/when he leaves in January.


Ian Pearce
Absence of pace and concentration were exploited by Sunderland, but he redeemed himself by bagging the winner.


Marlon Harewood
Whatever happened to that guy who played so well against Wigan? Not entirely a coincidence that the comeback began following his departure.


David Connolly
Played further forward than we?EUR(TM)ve seen of late, and much the better for it. Quick and incisive around the edge of the box, but should have had more shots.



Substitutes

Don Hutchison
(Replaced Quinn, 45) Played behind the forwards, creating chances and opening up space in the opposition defence. A more than slight suspicion that playing to his ?EUR~supporters?EUR(TM) in the Sunderland end raised his game.


Brian Deane
(Replaced Harewood, 54) Catalyst for the comeback, height and awareness allowed the Hammers to be more direct and incisive.


Chris Cohen
(Replaced Etherington, 77) Now we know why Quinn is a regular starter. Extremely lightweight left-back, but at only 16 years of age it?EUR(TM)s a bit soon to write him off.


Stephen Bywater
Did not play.


Robbie Stockdale
Did not play.



Match Facts

West Ham United: David James, Tomas Repka, Wayne Quinn, Christian Dailly, Matthew Etherington, Kevin Horlock, Hayden Mullins, Jermain Defoe, Ian Pearce, Marlon Harewood, David Connolly.

Goals: Jermain Defoe 55 Jermain Defoe 61 Ian Pearce 80              .

Booked: Tomas Repka 37 Chris Cohen 84        .

Sent off: None.

Sunderland: Poom, Wright, McCartney, Bjorklund, Arca, Oster, Thirlwell, McAteer, Whitley, Stewart, T.Smith..

Subs not used: Ingham, Babb, Quinn..

Goals: McAteer (4), Oster (30)..

Booked: Oster (37)..

Sent off: None.

Referee: P.Joslin.

Attendance: 30,329.

Man of the Match: Tomas Repka.