Played at Bramall Lane on Saturday 17^th January 2004

 

WEST Ham United played one of their best performances of the season at Sheffield United, but still came away with only a point. One of the best games seen in the Nationwide Leagues this season was played at Bramall Lane in front of a crowd that was far below capacity.

 

The game started badly for West Ham as Christian Dailly made a mistake that allowed Paul Peschisolido to give the Blades a 1-0 lead.

 

West Ham showed some competitive spirit and equalized after 18 minutes when a beautiful move of one-touch football enabled Michael Carrick to score his first goal since March.

 

The Londoners soon went ahead with a cracking solo strike from debutant Jon Harley. He took on three players before unleashing a ferocious shot into Paddy Kenny’s net.

 

West Ham were 3-1 up after Matthew Etherington ran down the wing and looped the ball into the box for Marlon Harewood to score his 17^th goal of the season.

 

Sheffield United came out stronger after the interval and were soon rewarded. Anton Ferdinand was fouled whilst defending and laid on the floor injured whilst Paul Shaw scored to make it 3-2.

 

The home side should have been level when Peschisolido scampered after the ball in the Hammers’ penalty area and was judged by Paul Durkin to have been pushed over by Ferdinand. But 22-year-old Stephen Bywater kept the Hammers in front by saving Michael Tonge’s penalty, prompting the visiting supporters to chant “England’s number one.”

 

Etherington then had the chance to finish the game with two glorious chances, but the excellent Kenny saved both and that seemed to spur the hosts into overdrive.

 

It looked like West Ham would hold-on for a vital three points until Phil Jagielka won a goalmouth scramble to tie the match and denied the Hammers the chance to move up one place into seventh.

 

By Phil Crook (p.crook@lycos.com)