• Date: Sat 22 December 2007
  • Venue: The Riverside Stadium
  • Ref: Atkinson, M
  • Attendance: 26,007
Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough

Wheater (40)

1 - 2
West Ham United

West Ham United

Ashton (44)

Parker (90)

Middlesbrough vs West Ham United

Team Lineups

Middlesbrough

Mark Schwarzer
Jonathan Woodgate (Robert Huth, 63)
Luke Young, L
David Wheater
Emanuel Pogatetz
Julio Arca
Adam Johnson, A (Lee Cattermole, 77)
George Boateng
Stewart Downing
Sanli Tuncay
Jeremie Aliadiere

West Ham United

Robert Green
Jonathan Spector
Matthew Upson
Lucas Neill
George McCartney
Scott Parker
Nolberto Solano (Mark Noble, 76)
Freddie Ljungberg
Hayden Mullins
Henri Camara (John Paintsil, 85)
Dean Ashton


Live Text Commentary
Full time
 

It's all over, West Ham have nicked a precious three points which they didn't particularly deserve. An awful game of football didn't deserve to have a winner.

90

Last chance for Boro is a corner from Downing which is punched away by Robert Green, surely that's it for the home side?

90

The Middlesbrough players are complaining that Parker handled the ball before he scored, nevertheless the goal stands and West Ham lead.

89
Goal
 

Scott Parker scores what has to be the winner for West Ham from 12 yards after being put through by Neil.

88

Tuncay is tackled well by Spector as the home side make one last push to win the game.

87

We await a moment of brillance or a mistake if either side is going to win this. It's been a poor game and at this stage a draw seems fair enough.

86
Substitution
 

Camara is replaced by John Paintsil for West Ham. The substitution took an age to take place and shows that West Ham are happy with a point today.

85

Downing takes on Noble and his cross falls to Boateng who loses possession to West Ham.

84

Two fantastic and strong challenges from Boateng win the ball for Boro. He is making his 200th start for the club today and battling right to the end.

82

Arca has to be careful now, he's just gone in hard on Neil and his side can't afford to go down to ten men now.

79

As we move towards the 80 minute mark, it still remains anyones game - how much do either side want to win it?

77
Substitution
 

Johnson recieves a warm round of applause as he is replaced by Lee Cattermole for the home side.

76
Substitution
 

Mark Noble replaces Solano for West Ham as they search their fifth away win of the season.

75

West Ham are looking strong now, they are passing the ball around nicely and are constantly producing good balls into the box.

75

Ljungberg puts in a dangerous cross, but a crucial piece of defending fromPogatetz prevents Solano putting the away side in front.

74

If West Ham hold onto a point, it will be Alan Curbishley's 50th Premier League point as manager of West Ham.

71

Counter attack from West Ham, results in a fantastic challenge from Arca on Ashton to prevent a goal scoring chance.

69

Tuncay hooks the ball across the goal towards Pogatetz, but his volley goes wide of the post - good effort though.

67
Yellow Card
 

Arca is booked after a hard challenge on West Ham's Scott Parker.

67

If Middlesbrough can find a winner, it will be the first time they have won three times in a row since January of this year, almost a year ago.

65

Solano fires the ball wide from 25 yards, he will be annoyed he hasn't hit the target from there - he wasn't under any pressure.

63
Substitution
 

Robert Huth replaces the injured Woodgate, all at the Riverside will be hoping it's not too serious for the defender.

63

The way things are going, it's still difficult to predict a winner. Middlesbrough are having more possession, but West Ham are dangerous on the counter attack.

61

Downing plays a reverse pass from the right hand side, which just misses the waiting Sanli Tuncay. Great stuff from Downing again.

60

Woodgate seems to be limping and has signalled to the bench he may have to come off, that wouldn't be good news for Southgate.

59

Sloppy from both sides in the last few minutes, each have been guilty of giving the ball away too easily.

57

The home fans are annoyed with the two recent decisons from the referee and it has certainly improved the atmosphere around the Riverside.

55

Ashton strikes miles over the bar from the much awaited free kick, not worth the delay at all - poor strike from Ashton.

55
Yellow Card
 

Booking for Solano after he wasted too much time ahead of taking another free kick for the Hammers.

54

Fantastic save from Schwarzer after a free kick from Solano, the keeper deflects the ball over the bar - great save.

53

If the scores do stay level, Middlesbrough will continue to average a point per game. They have 17 points from 17 games to date.

52

Arca pulling the strings yet again for Boro, his through ball is deflected wide for a corner to the home side.

50

Camara gets the better of Wheater, but his ball into the box is collected by Schwarzer. The away side have started the half well.

48

Ashton is involved straight away, but the goal scorer is blocked by Arca who clears the danger.

46

No changes for either side at half time, looks set to be an interesting second period of play.

Second half
 

The second half is underway, both sides will fancy their chances of securing all three points here today.

Half time
 

As the referee blows for half time, Curbishley will be happy to go in level at the break after Middlesbrough had opened the scoring.

45

It's Ashton's first involvement of the game it has to be said, but he has done waht he does best - scored a cracking goal to level things up.

44
Goal
 

DEAN ASHTON scores from the edge of the area after a good knock-down by Henri Camara.

42

The home side are on top now, the crowd are noisy, and Alan Curbishley will be looking for the half time whistle.

39
Goal
 

DAVID WHEATER scores as a result of Downing's free-kick being headed on by Aliadiere who finds the unmarked Boro defender.

39
Yellow Card
 

Quick free-kick taken by Boateng plays Alliadiare through, but he is brought down by Spector who is rightly booked.

38

This game certainly needs a goal to get it going, the last few minutes have been uneventful and it's not the best spectacle at this stage.

35

The game is getting rather scrappy now, it's going to take a moment of creativity from either side to open the scoring.

34

Miidlesbrough's latest booking is their 39th of the season, which is higher than any other club in the Premier League.

33
Yellow Card
 

Scott Parker is booked after a tough challenge on Arca, deserved booking.

32
Yellow Card
 

Boateng picks up his fifth booking of the season after a foul on Ljungberg. Seemed rather harsh, it has to be said.

31

Should West Ham concede a penalty today, they need not worry. Robert Green has saved all three penalties awarded against them this season.

29

Hayden Mullins strikes over the bar from outside the area, the Hammers are yet to seriously test Mark Schwarzer.

28

Woodgate has been solid so far for his team, would surely have played more games for England if it wasn't for his injury nightmare.

26

Middlesbrough's fifth corner of the game is cleared by Parker only as far as Johnson who has his shot blocked by Jonathan Spector.

25

The Johnson and Pogatetz combination almost works again, they are linking up well of the left hand side and causing West Ham right back Lucas Neil lots of problems.

23

Certainly very quiet at the Riverside today, the crowd waiting for something to happen it seems.

21

Downing leads another attack for his team, his left footed strike is sliced just wide of the target - a lively start from the winger.

18

West Ham getting into the game more now, with Ljungberg blocked by Julio Arca as he surged forward.

17

Don't be suprised if West Ham don't score in this first half, only six of their twenty league goals have come before half time this season.

15

Free Kick for West Ham results in good defending by Woodgate who headers behind for a corner. West Ham looking to get themselves more involved in the game.

14

Another half chance for Boro, with a ball from Downing just avading Aliadiere. They are piling on the pressure.

13

Gareth Southgate will be happy with the start his team have made, they are full of confidence at the minute and look the most likely to open the scoring.

12

Dreadful ball from Freddie Ljungberg gives the ball back to Middlesbrough, the West Ham fans certainly haven't seen the best of the Swedish international to date.

10

Middlesbrough counter attack led by Johnson creates a half chance for Jeremie Aliadiere before a good block from Matthew Upson clears the danger.

9

Going to be an interesting battle between Jonathan Woodgate and Dean Ashton today, both will be looking to impress new England manager Fabio Capello.

8

Good play from Adam Johnson sets Emanuel Pogatetz away, who puts in a fantastic cross but good defending means they will have to settle for a corner.

6

Slow start by both sides, wouldn't have though that any more than two passes have been put together as yet.

5

By starting today's game, Stewart Downing continues to be the only Boro player who has started every single Premier League game this season.

3

Lucas Neill gives the ball away but the home side fail to capitalise on the Hammers Skipper's mistake.

1

It's not normally a part of the country that West Ham like visiting, they haven't won in the North East since beating Sunderland in 2002.

Kickoff
 

Underway at the Riverside with Middlesbrough searching for their third consecutive victory against a West Ham side who have lost their last two in all competitions.