Carlton Cole does very well as he stands the ball up in the corner and lets Sunderland players jump in to concede a throw in to hand his side more breathing space.

There will be four minutes of stoppage time which has lifted the crowd slightly despite Sunderland not looking like scoring so far in this half.

West Ham are continuing to stay firm but wuill be aware Sunderland are renowned for their ability to get late goals as we approach stoppage time.

Play is held up briefly as two Welshmen Craig Bellamy and Danny Collins have a little spat but the referee sorts it out.

West Ham win a corner now but Sunderland clear after Hayden Mullins's effort at goal is charged down.

Another corner for Sunderland is played in by Carlos Edwards but James Collins heads it away. The ball comes back in and Dean Whitehead's flick header forces Robert Green into his first save of the half.

Sunderland continue to pepper the West Ham area with crosses but the defenders continue to head clear.

Scott Parker lifts a neat chip into the Sunderland area from the right but that is meat and drink for Marton Fulop.

Another Phil Bardsley attempt from outside the area this time goes wide of the other post.

West Ham are trying to mount the odd breakaway attacks but the ball quickly comes back at them so it looks like it will be backs to the wall stuff for the final 12 minutes.

The ball is played in but West Ham win the aerial dual to clear their lines as they have done on countless occasions in this game.

It is still mostly Sunderland attacking with the wind behind them as Herita Ilunga concedes a corner.

Phil Bardsley charges forward and gets in a shot from the edge of the area which is dragged wide of the far post.

For all of Sunderland's possession this half Robert Green has yet to make a save so far thanks to a great rearguard display.

A good spell of possession for West Ham as they knock the ball around to keep Sunderland at bay, before James Collins hoofs it out for a throw in.

How many times will I type this? But again Djibril Cisse heads a cross from Andy Reid over the top of the goal in a decent position.

A bit of activity going on down on the Sunderland bench as Roy Keane looks like he has lost patience and will make some changes.

Andy Reid gets the ball in a great position but instead of taking a shot he lobs his cross behind for a goal kick.

Lee Bowyer almost gets in on a tight angle but Marton Fulop races out to narrow the gap further and then gathers the midfielder's attempted pull back into the middle.

Sunderland are back attacking but this time Steed Malbranque is the guilty party as he opts to blast his shot into the fans behind the goal.

Julien Faubert puts a cross into the centre and Lee Bowyer's looping header drops on top of the Sunderland net.

When West Ham finally get out of their own half Scott Parker wastefully shoots high and wide over the Sunderland goal from 30 yards.

Phil Bardsley puts a cross into the middle and Robert Green fumbles under pressure from Kenwyne Jones but the Hammers manage to clear again.

It is all Sunderland at the start of this second half with the hosts trying to whip balls into the area at every opportunity. West Ham are managing to be first to all of them so far.

Another chance for Djibril Cisse at the back post and again the Frenchman flicks his header the wrong side of the West Ham upright.

Djibril Cisse 's shot into the area hits Matthew Upson's hand from about a yard away and his appeal for a penalty rightly falls on deaf ears this time.

West Ham's defence is doing well as they have to cope with an early bombardment into their penalty area.

Djibril Cisse puts a ball into the middle early on with the outside of his right boot but James Collins does well to clear.

Anton Ferdinand makes an error to let in Craig Bellamy who goes through on goal, gets past Marton Fulop and squares it to Valon Behrami whose shot hits the bar from a few yards out. It should be 2-0.

Lovely build up play by West Ham sees Craig Bellamy tee up Lee Bowyer but his effort lacks power and is blocked by the Sunderland defence.

Another good ball in from the left by Andy Reid is hacked clear by Lucas Neill as West ham look to hang on until half time with their lead intact.

Andy Reid is held up by Lucas Neill and the ball falls to Danny Collins whose effort from an angle is tipped behind by Robert Green for a corner which is cleared by West Ham.

Danny Collins gets down the left side of the West Ham area but his attempted cross into the centre goes over the top under pressure from the defence.

Djibril Cisse's radar is all over the place so far as he miss directs another header inside the penalty area.

The Sunderland fans are in full voice now as they feel aggrieved that they did not get the decision a moment ago which would have seen James Collins red carded if referee Mike Dean had given the foul.

Sunderland come steaming forward again and the ball breaks to Djibril Cisse at a tight angle as his effort hits the side netting.

Sunderland are pinning West Ham back but several crosses into the area have been dealt with well. However Djibril Cisse looks like he is rugby tackled to the ground by James Collins right on the edge of the West Ham area but nothing is given.

Andy Reid wins another corner down the left for Sunderland. It is played short by Dean Whitehead to Andy Reid but Carlton Cole heads away the danger.

Andy Reid plays the free kick in and James Collins appears to drag Kenwyne Jones to the ground but West Ham get the decision.

Andy Reid wins a free kick down that left flank after a foul by Lucas Neill so a good chance now for Sunderland.

Craig Bellamy commits a foul 25 yards from his goal but before the referee can blow up Andy Reid tries his luck and the ball beats Robert Green but bounces off the top of the crossbar.

The danger for Sunderland pushing more men forward is they could easily be caught on the break by the Hammers.

Sunderland are desperately trying to get back into this and to be fair they probably don't deserve to be a goal down on the balance of play in the opening 20 minutes or so.

Sunderland should be on level terms straight away but Djibril Cisse somehow heads an Andy Reid cross wide from a few yards out.

Another quick break from Sunderland as Djibril Cisse backheels the ball to Kenwyne Jones whose effort is blocked by James Collins. At the other end Carlton Cole's shot deflects into the hands of keeper Marton Fulop.

Nyron Nosworthy concedes a corner which Craig Bellamy whips in from the left but Kenwyne Jones gets up well to head clear.

Matthew Upson dives in to hack yet another dangerous Andy Reid cross away from the toe of Djibril Cisse as the Irish midfielder is creating most of Sunderland's chances.

Another former Newcastle man Scott Parker plays a quick free kick out to Craig Bellamy but his cross into the middle is headed clear.

Former Newcastle men Craig Bellamy and Lee Bowyer are getting booed every time they touch the ball while Sunderland's Anton Ferdinand is up against his old Hammers' mates after a summer move to Wearside.

A good flowing move from Sunderland as Andy Reid plays another decent cross in but Djibril Cisse cannot get over the ball to keep his header from going over the bar.

Robert Green has to dive out and punch a dangerous cross from Andy Reid away from Sunderland's forward duo of Kenwyne Jones and Djibril Cisse.

Phil Bardsley puts a long throw into the West Ham area after Djibril Cisse raced on to a long kick up field and almost created a chance out of nothing. The Hammers hack the throw in clear.

West Ham are now showing signs of stringing an attack together but Sunderland are holdinmg firm at the back.

Andy Reid swings a high free kick into the West Ham area from the right wing but James Collins gets up well and heads the ball back to Robert Green.

Sunderland have started much the better of the two sides as they are trying to pin West Ham back into their own half.

Kieran Richardson lays the ball in from the left but it is cleared by West Ham's defence as his follow up effort comes off the head of James Collins and drops into the hands of Robert Green.

A bright start from Sunderland as Phil Bardsley's cross finds Dean Whitehead but his effort is well wide and drifts out over the far right of the field.