Tired Hammers held by the Toon

West Ham United 1 Newcastle United 1

It's a rather subdued atmosphere for a 12.30pm kick off at the London Stadium, with some empty seats as the trains from Essex are down after Storm Eunice. But Nigel is there with his lucky Status Quo plastic bag, plus Matt, Lisa and Fraser. We're joined by Ernie, a member of the rather small club of Lithuanian-born Londoners who support Newcastle — he blames it on Alan Shearer. Michael the Playwright is spending more time with his folios and the part-time Clacton contingent are suffering from pier pressure.

Coufal has a hernia which is a blow, while Lanzini is also out. The Hammers start like they don't know how to cope with Storm Toon for the first ten minutes, even though Trippier and Saint Maximin are out for the visitors. Rice loses his man and Joelinton forces a good save from Fabianksi, before Willock has a shot deflected over.

Slowly the Irons come into the game, though much of our play is laboured. A good chance is created when Fredericks heads on to Bowen who strikes the bar from a tight angle. The Hammers take the lead after Antonio wins a free kick. Cresswell puts on an inviting cross and Dawson heads home to score in for the second time in two games.

All we have to do is keep the ball and hold out to half time. Yet in added time Rice miscues a header into the path of Willock, who moves sharply to toe home off the post for his first of the season.

DRAWING DRAWING WEST HAM

The second half sees much work-rate but little in the way of chances created, while Newcastle always look dangerous on the break. Antonio's afternoon is summed up by an air kick and then a shot ballooned over the bar. Soucek is anonymous, Benrahma gets hooked, Fornals works hard but doesn't create much and even Rice has a poor game. 

Johnson at least looks solid in place of Fredericks and Dawson and Zouma have good games at the back. While Vlasic injects some energy when he comes on to immediately get clogged. Late on Bowen is scythed down by an agricultural challenge from Dan Burn and almost gets in a fight, probably threatening the Toon defender with a visit from Danny Dyer.

It ends in a score draw and is a fair result. We effectively relinquished a top-four chance by failing to sign anyone in the window and now it's a case of hanging on to the top eight. Somehow Moyes has to get the team out its tired mode and summon up some energy. But at least we are picking up the odd point when looking knackered and are now unbeaten in four, to be more positive — and Newcastle have given a spirited performance.

We trudge away in the drizzle to Stratford as I point out that we could still be relegated on 42 points. Inside the Refreshment Rooms we are joined by Desperate Dan who has tales of dodgy tour goings on with wrestlers and then have an enjoyable discussion of West Ham's worst ever signings. Fraser opts for Roberto, though we manage to brainstorm through John Radford, Mido, Benni McCarthy, David Kelly, Marco Boogers, Florin Raducioiu, Simone Zaza, Jonathan Calleri, Havard Nordtveit and a host of other disasters. But at least the ceiling stays up.

Wolves has now become a six-pointer for our stretched squad. We need a goal for Antonio and some form to return to our senior pros.

PLAYER RATINGS: Fabianski 6; Fredericks 5 (Johnson 6), Dawson 8, Zouma 7, Cresswell 6; Soucek 4, Rice 5, Fornals 5, Benrahma 5 (Vlasic 6), Bowen 6; Antonio 5.