Antonio takes Hammers up to seventh

West Ham 2 West Brom 1

The Moyes versus Allardyce derby (El Tactico?) is on BT Sport this time, with my pal Fraser presumably watching from behind the sofa. Dawson puts a free header wide from a West Ham corner early on and for most of the first half Big Sam's men defend with six back. There's very little space for Lanzini or Benrahma to create, though Coufal does fire just wide and Lanzini places a free kick on to the roof of the net. 

Big Sam has clearly told his men to fire every free kick straight into the West Ham box, but the defence stands up well to these rare threats. Just when it's starting to resemble trying to break down our bogey side FC Astra, the breakthrough comes in added time. Benrahma does a lot of twisting and turning to finally find space to play in a deep cross. Coufal fires it back hard across the goalmouth and Bowen chests it home. A good poacher's finish.

The second half sees the Hammers rapidly lose their hard-won lead as the midfield stands off, Dawson backs away and Pereira runs unchallenged to fire home from the edge of the area. The Irons up their game and exert some pressure. Antonio sets up Lanzini, whose shot is cleared off the line by O'Shea, before Rice fires just past the post. A well-worked quick free kick then sees Declan Rice shoot across the face of the goal.

Moyes makes what seems to be a negative double substitution taking off Benrahma and Lanzini. But it's actually quite a shrewd tactical move as Fornals gives the Hammers some extra zip in midfield and playing Bowen on the left and Yarmolenko wide on the right stretches the Albion defence.

RESPECTING THE POINTS

The winner arrives on 66 minutes when Cresswell fires in another cross from the left and Yarmolenko heads it back. Antonio has to move backwards to athletically spin and fire home a great finish. Matt, who has just spent most of his wages on a £25 BT pass, never doubted that Yarmy would come on and assist the winner.

It's a nervous end to the game as WBA show good team spirit to chase an equaliser. A tired Antonio has to be subbed for Noble and the Hammers play the final ten minutes without a striker. Albion very nearly snatch an equaliser late on when Furlong fires a cross just past Fabianski's post. BFS looks exasperated, not that we're gloating.

So another win without playing brilliantly. But this side is certainly resilient and we move up to seventh, above poor old Chelsea. Though this being West Ham, despair is never far behind elation. The post-match interviews reveal that the PL are investigating the non-selection of Robert Snodgrass after Big Sam claimed there was an agreement between the clubs not to play him. 

My immediate thought is of the Tevez affair, and that West Ham will qualify for Europe but then be punished by the PL with relegation. Though hopefully this is West Brom's problem not West Ham's. A similar non-selection controversy after Everton signed Tim Howard from Man United in 2007 (also under Moyes) ended with no sanctions.

But let's forget about Snodgate for the moment. This was another productive evening and we're grinding out results. West Ham are half-way through the season and three points off third place. At this rate we might even stay up. Irons!

PLAYER RATINGS: Fabianski 6; Coufal 7, Dawson 6, Ogbonna 6, Cresswell 7; Benrahma 6 (Fornals 6), Rice 6, Soucek 5, Lanzini 6 (Yarmolenko 6); Bowen 7, Antonio 8 (Noble 5).