Hammers pick up a point in thrilling draw with Hull

Monday, 23 November 2009

Hull City 3-3 West Ham United - Premier League

WEST Ham were held to a 3-3 draw in a topsy-turvy match against Hull City on Saturday.

The Hammers came roaring out of the blocks and found themselves 2-0 up after only 11 minutes.

Mexican Guillermo Franco finished from Junior Stanislas’s corner before midfielder Jack Collison headed beyond Matt Duke.

But so much was to change before half time in an enthralling encounter.

Hull pulled one back when Jimmy Bullard – who impressed throughout – saw his fierce free kick take touches off Scott Parker and Carlton Cole to elude Robert Green in the away goal.

The scores were level a minute before the 45 when Kamil Zayatte neatly volleyed home from Stephen Hunt’s free kick into the Irons box.

More was to follow before the break though. In the first minute of added time Craig Fagan backed into Julien Faubert and went to ground dramatically – referee Mark Clattenburg pointed to the spot.

Bullard converted the penalty with aplomb, but keeper Green was furious the referee did not order a retake for encroachment after Bernard Mendy followed the former Fulham man’s run up to take the kick.

The England stopper claimed he was unsure which of the Hull pair was taking the kick.

Mendy, perhaps, got his comeuppance 10 minutes into the second half when he stopped Parker’s clear run on goal with a crude challenge and was shown a straight red.

With the man advantage, the Hammers pulled it back to 3-3 with Manuel Da Costa turning in another Stanislas corner to set up a grandstand finish for the final 15 minutes.

Hull should have had a penalty when Matthew Upson decided to take a piggy back on Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink to count the number of letters in the Dutchman’s shirt.

But having given a soft spot kick to the Tigers in the first half, referee Clattenburg turned down their appeals for a stone-waller.

Collison had a late chance to steal it, but Duke proved equal and the game ended in a draw.

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