Saturday May 19, 2012 Final Finished Wembley

Blackpool 1 - 2 West Ham United

  • Ince 48’
  • Cole 35’
  • Vaz Te 87’

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  1. West Ham return to Premier League

    West Ham return to Premier League

    West Ham United made an immediate return to the Premier League with a 2-1 victory over Blackpool in the Championship play-off final. More

  • Live Commentary

    Time:90'
    • Blackpool
    • West Ham United
    • 90+4' FULL-TIME! West Ham United make an immediate return to the Premier League with a 2-1 victory over Blackpool in the Championship play-off final at Wembley.
    • 90+3' Reid fends Dicko off the ball in the area, optimistic shouts for a penalty from the Blackpool fans.
    • 90+2' Tomkins heads powerfully out of his penalty area. Blackpool throwing long balls forward.
    • 90+1' Taylor slashes a shot well wide of the far post. Four minutes of added time to be played.
    • 90' Nouha Dicko and Roman Bednar on for Martinez and Dobbie.
    • 89' A dangerous ball from the left is an inch away from being met by Martinez at the back post.
    • 88' Vaz Te is booked for taking his shirt off in celebration but I doubt he cares.
    • 87' GOAL WEST HAM! Has Vaz Te scored the goal that takes West Ham back to the Premier League. Nolan finds space down the left and his square pass falls to Cole in the area. Gilks is off his line to smother but it lands on a plate to the Portuguese to smash into the roof of the net.
    • 87' Noble’s free-kick finds Tomkins whose header lands on the roof of the net.
    • 86' Great trickery by Vaz Te to lift the ball over Eardley in the area but he catches the sliding Evatt as the big Blackpool centre-half clears.
    • 85' West Ham win their fifth corner but headed away at the near post.
    • 84' A low drive from Dobbie is straight at Green.
    • 83' Reid penalised for a foul on Dobbie and a dangerous free-kick 35 yards out.
    • 82' Taylor’s cross finds Collison but he can’t dance his way through the packed Blackpool defence.
    • 80' 10 minutes plus added time away from extra time.
    • 79' SO CLOSE KEVIN NOLAN! McCartney’s cross from the left is met sweetly on the volley by the club captain but his effort smashes against the crossbar.
    • 78' Cole’s flicked headed almost puts Collison through on goal but a heavy first touch forces him wide and when he cuts inside his curled effort is high over the crossbar.
    • 77' Ince thinks he has got behind the Hammers defence but the 20-year-old has strayed offside.
    • 76' The corner is hacked clear by Taylor. Blackpool back on top.
    • 75' Dobbie’s low drive is turned around the post by Green, diving low to his right.
    • 73' A scintillating run by Ince but he is finally dispossessed by McCartney at the by-line.
    • 72' Dobbie has gone up top for Holloway’s side.
    • 71' A change for the Tangerines and Kevin Phillips is replaced by Ludovic Sylvestre.
    • 70' Evatt’s deflected shot is cleared off the line by Noble before Baptiste fires over.
    • 69' Dobbie’s effort is deflected for a corner.
    • 68' In 2010, Dobbie, during a loan spell from Swansea, won the play-offs with Blackpool after they defeated Cardiff in a sensational finale. The following year the Scot was back at Wembley with his parent club and scored in the final against Reading as Brendan Rodgers’ men booked their top-flight ticket.
    • 67' WHAT A CHANCE FOR DOBBIE! Eardley pulls back to the ex-Swansea man who is standing unmarked on the penalty spot but makes a complete hash of his shot and it is muffed wide.
    • 66' Matt Phillips tries his luck from distance but fails to test Green.
    • 65' West Ham have regained the momentum but the match is on a knife edge.
    • 64' SMART SAVE FROM GILKS. Cole brings down Faubert’s pass, swivels and shoots early and it is a fine one-handed stop, low to his right, from the Blackpool custodian.
    • 63' Blackpool found themselves behind in 29 league games this season, winning seven of those matches.
    • 62' Vaz Te bursts into the area and tees up Collison but the Welsh midfielder can only stab at his effort and a decent chance is spurned. In truth the layback from the Portuguese winger was not the best.
    • 61' Collison holds the shoulder he injured against Cardiff but seems ok to continue.
    • 60' Superb whipped in cross from the left by Taylor is met by Collison but he cannot steer his effort on target from close range.
    • 59' Taylor’s diagonal ball for Vaz Te is slightly overhit and runs behind for a goal kick.
    • 58' Demel cannot continue so Julien Faubert comes on at right-back.
    • 57' Demel down and requires treatment on what looks like a knee problem.
    • 56' Blackpool have had over 70% of possession in the second-half.
    • 55' Ince's goal was his first in 14 appearances (since March 6th) for Blackpool.
    • 54' A change for West Ham and George McCartney replaces O’Neil. Taylor will push forward into midfield.
    • 53' Green claims the corner and some respite for the Hammers who are under the cosh.
    • 52' Martinez puts Dobbie through behind the West Ham defence, he tries to cut inside and has to settle for a corner.
    • 51' A cross from the right is flicked away by Reid.
    • 50' Kevin Phillips lofts a pass over the top to the marauding centre-half Baptiste who lifts the ball over the outrushing Green only for Taylor to hook off his own line.
    • 49' Remember the only side to come from behind to win a Championship play-off final since 2003 were Blackpool (2010).
    • 48' GOAL BLACKPOOL! Tom Ince brings his side back on level terms. Cole gives the ball away in his own area and a superb long ball from Matt Phillips over Reid and into the path of the winger who fires first time into the far corner.
    • 47' Collison almost bursts his way into the penalty area before being penalised for a push on Crainey.
    • 46' No changes to either side as the second-half begins.
    • 45+1' HALF-TIME! West Ham halfway to a return to the Premier League thanks to Carlton Cole’s goal.
    • 44' Just one minute added time.
    • 43' Those early misses by Phillips now looking even more costly.
    • 42' After a slow start, West Ham have begun to dominate.
    • 41' Martinez fires high over the crossbar from 25 yards, under pressure from Taylor.
    • 39' Collison’s cross from the right is claimed by Gilks ahead of Cole.
    • 38' Blackpool won 32 points from losing positions in the regular Championship season; more than any other side. Comeback?
    • 37' A great chance by Vaz Te to extend the lead! A lovely curled ball into his path from the right and the Portuguese finds space in the area but fires his shot wide.
    • 36' The only side to come from behind to win a Championship playoff final since 2003 were Blackpool (2010).
    • 35' GOAL WEST HAM! Carlton Cole scores the opening goal of the play-off final. A diagonal ball from Taylor is taken down first time by the striker, who has pulled off the back shoulder of Evatt, and he fires his shot past Gilks who was glued to his line.
    • 34' Ince gets to the by-line and he pulls back to Stephen Crainey whose shot is high, wide and not very handsome.
    • 33' The corner is met by Tomkins at the far post but the Seasiders smuggle clear.
    • 32' James Tomkins meets the second corner and deflected behind for a third.
    • 31' Gilks flaps at the first corner of the match and it flicks off Baptiste’s head for another corner.
    • 30' Taylor’s low cross is stabbed behind for a corner by Evatt.
    • 29' Cole hopes to enjoy a double celebration by firing West Ham to promotion before watching his former side lift the European Cup. Cole spent five years at Stamford Bridge before moving across London and remains in contact with his old team-mates.
    • 28' Good backtracking by Angel Martinez to dispossess Cole.
    • 27' Collison goes for a curler from the left side of the penalty area but well wide of Matt Gilks’ goal.
    • 26' Blackpool have won just one of their last 10 games vs West Ham.
    • 25' Great sliding tackle by Alex Baptiste to end a Vaz Te run.
    • 24' Better spell for West Ham and their fans bring out a chorus of ‘I’m forever blowing bubbles’
    • 23' A long ball drops to Nolan on the edge of the penalty area but the ball won’t come down quick enough for the skipper to get his shot off.
    • 21' O’Neil’s cross is flicked over the top by Cole.
    • 20' O’Neil tees up Vaz Te who slashes his shot into the side netting. West Ham’s first real sight at goal.
    • 19' Noble looking for Cole but bullied off the ball by Evatt.
    • 18' Ince getting boos from the West Ham faithful behind the Blackpool goal thanks to his father’s connection with the Hammers.
    • 17' A raking pass from Ian Evatt looking for Ince on the right flank but just a touch too strong.
    • 16' Seven of the last eight winners of the Championship play-off final have scored the first goal.
    • 15' Another chance for Blackpool! A bad mistake by Demel allows Phillips through, he cuts inside Winston Reid but narrowly curls his shot past the far post.
    • 14' Matt Phillips spurns a great chance. Quick one-time passing and he is through on goal but he fails to get the ball out of his feet and his shot at Green is tame.
    • 13' Carlton Cole drifts offside, possession pretty even so far.
    • 12' Vaz Te has scored 11 goals in 17 Championship games since his £500,000 move from Barnsley in January.
    • 11' Vaz Te gets to the by-line but he makes a complete hash of his cross as he falls off-balance.
    • 10' An open 10 minutes. The one real change going Blackpool’s way.
    • 9' Charging run by Dobbie but he is crowded out on the edge of the area.
    • 8' West Ham's co-owner David Sullivan poured cold water on suggestions promotion would provide an instant fix to the club's debt - estimated at 110 million pounds when he and David Gold stepped in to rescue the club in 2010. "To be honest, that is rubbish. I don't think people realise the financial burden on you if you go up," Sullivan, who became a millionaire through the adult entertainment industry, told The Sun.
    • 7' Gary O’Neil’s pass intended for marauding right-back Guy Demel is too strong.
    • 6' Nolan’s through ball is overhit again, this time Ricardo Vas Te was the target.
    • 5' Two years ago the Tangerines beat Cardiff City 3-2 at Wembley to return to the top echelon for the first time in 39 years - Blackpool are attacking the same goal that they scored three times in the first-half of that match.
    • 4' Great save by Rob Green! Matthew Taylor attempts to chest back a long pass to his keeper but it is woefully under hit and Dobbie pounces. His fierce shot from the angle is saved one-handed by the England keeper and bounces off the upright.
    • 3' Stephen Dobbie releases Tom Ince down the right flank but he is crowded out and can’t get his cross over.
    • 2' Kevin Nolan almost finds Carlton Cole behind the Blackpool defence but his pass is too strong.
    • 1' And off we go!
    • 14:55 The referee today is World Cup official Howard Webb. As the teams come out at Wembley, you can join the debate on Twitter: Lee_Eurosport
    • 14:50 Today's play-off final is the 26th in the series that began in 1987 under a different format when Charlton Athletic, who had finished fourth from bottom in the top flight, beat Leeds United (who finished fourth in the old Division Two).
    • 14:45 The Hammers are looking for their third win of the season against Blackpool having won the league meetings 4-0 and 4-1. But veteran striker Kevin Phillips said. "We're certainly a different proposition to what we were in those games," he said. "You hear a lot of the media and the supporters saying maybe all they've got to do is turn up to win the game because they're clear favourites and that suits us."
    • 14:40 Jack Collison is fit for West Ham. He scored both goals in the Hammers' 2-0 semi-final first-leg win over Cardiff but suffered a shoulder injury in the second leg at Upton Park. It means Allardyce can name the same line-up which started both legs of the semi-final and swept Cardiff aside 5-0 on aggregate.
    • 14:35 One enforced change for Blackpool with veteran forward Kevin Phillips replacing Gary Taylor-Fletcher. Craig Cathcart on the bench following heart palpitations with Holloway sticking with the centre-back partnership of Ian Evatt and Alex Baptiste that has featured throughout Blackpool's ongoing nine-match unbeaten run. Roman Bednar (knee) is also on the bench after a knee injury with Lomana LuaLua left out of the squad completely.
    • 14:30 TEAMS: Blackpool: Gilks, Baptiste, Evatt, Eardley, Crainey, Ferguson, Martinez, Dobbie, M.Phillips, Ince, K.Phillips. Subs: Southern, Sylvestre, Cathcart, Dicko, Bednar /// West Ham: Green, Demel, Taylor, Reid, Tomkins, Noble, Nolan, O'Neil, Collison, Vaz Te, Cole. Subs: Henderson, Faubert, McCartney, Lansbury, Maynard
    • 14:25 Ian Holloway has paid tribute to the role of Fleetwood manager Micky Mellon in Blackpool's play-off charge. Ollie said: "We lost to Burnley away and I was pretty down, then had a phone call with Micky Mellon. Two days later we played Leeds away and we won 5-0. If I hadn't have had that conversation with him I'd still have been down in the dumps. I've never, ever wanted to feel sorry for myself, but I did then. Good gracious me, how far we've gone."
    • 14:20 Sam Allardyce insists this match is a bigger game than the Champions League final with an estimated £90million at stake for the winners. The Hammers boss said: "The Champions League final is a glory game, this is about your livelihood and your status. The Champions League is a big tournament but this one is about changing people's lives."
    • 14:15 West Ham United face Blackpool in the Championship play-off with an immediate return to the Premier League the prize for the victor.

  • Summary

    • 87' GOAL WEST HAM! Has Vaz Te scored the goal that takes West Ham back to the Premier League. Nolan finds space down the left and his square pass falls to Cole in the area. Gilks is off his line to smother but it lands on a plate to the Portuguese to smash into the roof of the net.
    • 79' SO CLOSE KEVIN NOLAN! McCartney’s cross from the left is met sweetly on the volley by the club captain but his effort smashes against the crossbar.
    • 75' Dobbie’s low drive is turned around the post by Green, diving low to his right.
    • 70' Evatt’s deflected shot is cleared off the line by Noble before Baptiste fires over.
    • 67' WHAT A CHANCE FOR DOBBIE! Eardley pulls back to the ex-Swansea man who is standing unmarked on the penalty spot but makes a complete hash of his shot and it is muffed wide.
    • 64' SMART SAVE FROM GILKS. Cole brings down Faubert’s pass, swivels and shoots early and it is a fine one-handed stop, low to his right, from the Blackpool custodian.
    • 50' Kevin Phillips lofts a pass over the top to the marauding centre-half Baptiste who lifts the ball over the outrushing Green only for Taylor to hook off his own line.
    • 48' GOAL BLACKPOOL! Tom Ince brings his side back on level terms. Cole gives the ball away in his own area and a superb long ball from Matt Phillips over Reid and into the path of the winger who fires first time into the far corner.
    • 37' A great chance by Vaz Te to extend the lead! A lovely curled ball into his path from the right and the Portuguese finds space in the area but fires his shot wide.
    • 35' GOAL WEST HAM! Carlton Cole scores the opening goal of the play-off final. A diagonal ball from Taylor is taken down first time by the striker, who has pulled off the back shoulder of Evatt, and he fires his shot past Gilks who was glued to his line.
    • 20' O’Neil tees up Vaz Te who slashes his shot into the side netting. West Ham’s first real sight at goal.
    • 15' Another chance for Blackpool! A bad mistake by Demel allows Phillips through, he cuts inside Winston Reid but narrowly curls his shot past the far post.
    • 14' Matt Phillips spurns a great chance. Quick one-time passing and he is through on goal but he fails to get the ball out of his feet and his shot at Green is tame.
    • 4' Great save by Rob Green! Matthew Taylor attempts to chest back a long pass to his keeper but it is woefully under hit and Dobbie pounces. His fierce shot from the angle is saved one-handed by the England keeper and bounces off the upright.
    • 14:30 TEAMS: Blackpool: Gilks, Baptiste, Evatt, Eardley, Crainey, Ferguson, Martinez, Dobbie, M.Phillips, Ince, K.Phillips. Subs: Southern, Sylvestre, Cathcart, Dicko, Bednar /// West Ham: Green, Demel, Taylor, Reid, Tomkins, Noble, Nolan, O'Neil, Collison, Vaz Te, Cole. Subs: Henderson, Faubert, McCartney, Lansbury, Maynard

Team Line-up & Ratings

  • Line-up

    Live Team Line-Up

  • Rate Players

    Rate Players

    Please to rate the players.

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    • Player Y! Users Expert My Rating
      Goalkeeper
      6.3 6
      Defenders
      6.1 6
      6.3 7
      6.2 7
      5.9 6
      Midfielders
      6.3 6
      Substitution Out90′ 6.2 6
      Substitution Out90′ 6.2 5
      Strikers
      Goal 6.9 7
      6.7 7
      Substitution Out71′ 6 5
      Subs
      Substitution In71′ 6 -
      Substitution In90′ 5 6
      Substitution In90′ 5.2 6
    • Player Y! Users Expert My Rating
      Goalkeeper
      7 7
      Defenders
      Substitution Out57′ 6.1 5
      6.7 5
      6.8 7
      6.7 7
      Midfielders
      6.6 6
      7.2 7
      Substitution Out54′ 6.6 5
      6.5 6
      Strikers
      Goal 7 7
      Goal Yellow Card 7.7 8
      Subs
      Substitution In54′ 7.3 6
      Substitution In57′ 7.1 6

Comment 354 - 374 of 374

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  1. kylie loves you nappy hammers. no gravy on chips? u­ were so lucky. lucky

    From Joseph, on Wed 22 Aug 19:52

  2. Or you could say : '' This is not the end. It­ is not even the beginning of the end. But it is,­ perhaps, the end of the beginning.'' W S­ Churchill, November 1942.

    From Bill, on Mon 21 May 23:44

  3. ''This doesn't have to be the­ end.'' ­ Alec Fenn 21/05/2012

    From Bill, on Mon 21 May 15:04

  4. Hey has anyone seen Dennis, lol, probably supping a­ beer Millwall style. COYI, come on the Dennis

    From urkey, on Mon 21 May 12:30
  5. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    looks like howard webb isnt just working for man united­ after all yet again no penalty and no foul just before­ west hams second goal come on the pool!!!!

    From jim, on Mon 21 May 11:09

  6. im a Millwall fan, but congratulations on promotion,­ you played good football over the season and were well­ clear of 4th 5th and 6th good luck next season

    From sinbad the sailor, on Sun 20 May 12:43

  7. ARK ROYAL I asked you who deserved it and you could not­ answer. SO WHOS THE THICK SADDO NOW. I THINK THE THUMBS­ SAY IT ALL.

    From GAVIN H, on Sun 20 May 11:02

  8. Looking forward to visiting some different grounds next­ season. I haven't been to Charlton Athletic since­ Gerry Ingram climbed high to score a headed goal whilst­ under pressure. It was the only goal... 2pts! The­ ground really did look like 'A Valley' in those­ days. Up the 'Pool!

    From Bill, on Sun 20 May 10:22

  9. I don't believe it Victor,six easy points for­ Wednesday next season,I wonder if we'll score ten­ again.

    From (OvO), on Sun 20 May 9:18

  10. Job well done Hammers, You took ya chances and we­ didn't so no hard feelings from a Blackpool fan. ­ Blackpool and Ian Holloway............fantastic effort­ and 2 things for next season. 1) lets get 90 points and­ avoid the play off lottery. You are a Premiership club­ so get that mentality of expecting to win games. 2) See­ teams off, especially at home. You are a credit to the­ game of football and have a manager who wants to attack­ and play the right way. Don't get despondent about­ this, get determined to win every game with a­ Premiership mentality. West Ham did us this time­ because they were clinical in taking their chances but­ it was good to see 2 footballing teams at Wembley.

    From Evertheoptimist, on Sun 20 May 0:32
  11. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    GAVIN H: You really are a dumb saddo. and thick with­ it.

    From no-one-is-no-one, on Sun 20 May 0:29

  12. Good signing from barnsley.vaz,,,,well done west ham.­ Congrasts from a barnsley fan...on wards and upwardrds

    From Nathan Powell, on Sat 19 May 23:13

  13. weldone west ham (blues supoter)

    From Eleanor, on Sat 19 May 22:21

  14. congrats 'appy 'ammers - the top division­ ain't the same without you! Real team, real fans,­ real history.

    From D, on Sat 19 May 20:45

  15. ARK ROYAL HOW THICK ARE YOU ? 3 GO UP AND 3 GO DOWN­ thats the rule. I said 3rd place was good enough­ before the play offs. But as that no longer exist you­ have to do it via the play offs now. AND WE HAVE SO GET­ USE TO IT. If we didn`t deserve it WHO DID ?

    From GAVIN H, on Sat 19 May 18:53

  16. Well done West Ham, let's hope you can stay up with­ the big boys.... Come on Chelsea, let's make it­ a really good day of football, and p*ss Spurs­ of......lol

    From salsalady, on Sat 19 May 18:47

  17. Ark royal is very bitter ain't he, chill out, relax­ fella before your blood pressure does you an injury!

    From steven, on Sat 19 May 18:41
  18. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Well there goes another 6 points for Fergie Krugger in­ the bag already for next season

    From Tim, on Sat 19 May 18:20

  19. Well done West Ham from a Chelsea fan. Back up in the­ top flight where you belong. Your style of football­ over the years is too good for that division. Great­ stuff and well done again.

    From Andrew, on Sat 19 May 18:06
  20. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Did I mention I don't like Blackpool.I'll be­ rooting for Bayern tonight.

    From RICHARD, on Sat 19 May 17:54
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