the current bun
COLL OF DUTY ... Matthew Taylor hails goal hero Jack Collison (right)
Leicester City 1 West Ham 2
Failure to win at Leicester last night would have gifted Southampton automatic promotion.
But Collison’s 58th-minute strike means the battle for second place behind champs Reading will go right down to the final day.
The Hammers trail Saints by two points and host Hull on Saturday with Nigel Adkins’ hot favourites at home to relegated Coventry.
When Jermaine Beckford gave the Foxes the lead on 34 minutes the 2,500 travelling Hammers fans sang ‘We’re going to Wembley’ as they appeared to accept their play-off fate.
But Sam Allardyce’s side equalised through Winston Reid in the 39th minute before Collison’s cracker.
Boss Big Sam said: “It was a good night — we stayed in the race. We just have to do a job on Saturday and hope Coventry do a little bit at Southampton.
“There’s one game to go and if Saints get the jitters and Coventry play without fear then who knows?
“We’ve got a better chance of promotion now than we had at the start of the game.
“It was a deserved victory and we should have won by more but wasted too many simple chances and looked a little bit nervous at the end.
“But we got exactly what we wanted — the win.
“We did ever so well to come back from one down and it was a terrific goal from Collison.”
Allardyce added: “Whether we go straight up or through the play-offs it has been a very good season.
“We know what we have to do on Saturday. After that, it’s in the lap of the gods.”
The Hammers made most of the running in the first half with Collison’s low shot saved by Kasper Schmeichel after just five minutes. Carlton Cole then glanced a header wide from Mark Noble’s free-kick.
And Ricardo Vaz Te should have done better when clear through but allowed Wes Morgan to catch him in the act of shooting.
The visitors escaped punishment when Beckford headed the wrong side of the post from seven yards out.
But Beckford made no mistake in the 34th minute, rising between James Tomkins and Guy Demel to plant Ben Marshall’s centre beyond keeper Robert Green.
The Hammers were level within five minutes.
Matt Taylor was free down the left and delivered a piercing low cross which was knocked past Schmeichel from three yards by Reid.
Leicester were toiling after half-time as West Ham sensed that reward was on offer.
Noble went close from the edge of the Foxes area and Kevin Nolan lifted his shot high over when Gary O’Neil picked him out in a promising position.
But that 56th-minute miss counted for nothing just seconds later.
O’Neil’s shot was blocked and Collison drilled a fierce, low effort past Schmeichel from 20 yards.
Schmeichel, diving to his right, got a hand to the ball but could do no more than divert it high into his net.
The dangerous Vaz Te could have widened the margin and Sean St Ledger almost conceded an own goal from another Taylor cross.
If Southampton are held to a draw against Coventry — which seems unlikely — then a West Ham win could take it to the wire.
Promotion could depend on how many goals they rack up against Hull.
Given the drive and determination displayed at the King Power Stadium — fasten your seatbelts!
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the mirror
Leicester 1-2 West Ham: Collison takes promotion battle to final day
Sam Allardyce hopes this gritty win will give Southampton "the jitters" as the race for automatic promotion goes to the wire.
West Ham kept alive their hopes of overhauling second-placed Saints with a vital win at the King Power Stadium.
The visitors trailed to Jermaine Beckford's first half headed opener but quickly levelled through Winston Reid.
Jack Collison then capped a fine display in midfield alongside Mark Noble with a superb winner in the 58th minute.
Now West Ham must beat Hull at home in their final game on Saturday and hope Saints - two points ahead and with a +3 goal difference advantage - shoot themselves in the foot at home to already-relegated Coventry.
A draw for Southampton could even see Allardyce's men sneak through on goal difference if they plunder enough against the Tigers.
Boss Allardyce, whose side topped the table earlier this term, said: "It was a well deserved victory.
"We got exactly what we wanted, which was the win. Having to come back away from home at Leicester 1-0 down to win the game with a terrific goal makes it a good night for us.
"We have stayed in the race now until the very end. We have to do our job on Saturday now and just hope Coventry can do a little bit at Southampton.
"It is one game left now and who knows if Southampton get the jitters or Coventry play with no fear because they have got relegated.
"Southampton are under enormous pressure to finish off their tremendous season with promotion.
"We just have to win the game against Hull and whatever happens after that, it has still been a very good season from the players.
"We have broken the club away record with our 13th away victory and only lost eight games in the entire season.
"It is a bit disappointing we don't have our destiny in our own hands but let's win the game and see what happens."
The visitors started well, but it was the Foxes who took the lead in the 34th minute when Ben Marshall crossed for Beckford to head in his 16th of the season.
The hosts' lead only lasted five minutes though as Allardyce's men quickly levelled through a well-worked goal down the left.
Defender Winston Reid finished off Matt Taylor's cross after clever play by skipper Kevin Nolan.
West Ham continued to press after the re-start as Noble thumped a shot just wide from outside the area.
And midfielder Collison smashed in a scorcher after Gary O'Neil had a shot blocked at the top of the box.
Schmeichel got a hand to it, but the power on the ball ensured it ended high in the net to the delight of 2,327 away fans.
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the star
LEICESTER 1 WEST HAM 2: CRACKER JACK COLLISON KEEPS IT ALIVE
JACK COLLISON bagged the crucial goal to keep West Ham’s slim hopes of automatic promotion alive.
Collison earned Sam Allardyce’s side the win they desperately needed to delay Southampton’s dream of ending their own exile from the Premier League.
The Hammers are two points behind Saints, so they must beat Hull and pray Nigel Adkins’ men slip up against already-relegated Coventry.
But West Ham’s 13th away win of the season got the job done to ensure a nail-biting climax to the Championship promotion race.
Allardyce may have written himself into the West Ham record books by guiding the club to their best ever number of away wins in a season. But it’s the stage fright at Upton Park that has damaged his hopes of leading them straight back to the top flight.
He could yet have to face another play-off rollercoaster, having been there with Bolton and Blackpool.
Leicester took the lead through Jermaine Beckford but goals from Winston Reid and Collison condemned the Foxes to their first home defeat since January.
Boss Nigel Pearson is counting down the days until the end of the season to undertake extensive surgery on his squad.
His side were unable to sustain a promotion challenge and he is preparing a mass rebuilding job in a bid to fulfil the Thai owners’ remit of promotion.
His troops were under the cosh here early on, Collison testing Kasper Schmeichel with a low drive from inside the area.
And Carlton Cole should have done better with a header from close range after an inviting free-kick from Mark Noble.
But Leicester had chances of their own, with Beckford nodding Lloyd Dyer’s cross inches wide of Robert Green’s near post.
And Beckford bagged his 15th goal of the season 11 minutes before the break after brilliant work from winger Ben Marshall.
The £1m man has been a revelation since joining from Stoke in January and his cross from the right presented Beckford with the simplest of headers.
Cue ironic chants of “We’re going to Wembley” from the travelling Hammers fans – but the tide turned five minutes later.
Matt Taylor’s cross from the touchline seemed tame but completely bamboozled the Leicester defence and Reid stabbed the ball in at the near post.
It looked as if Allardyce was still set for an excruciating evening when Kevin Nolan wasted a great chance just before the hour.
But just as West Ham’s fans began to show signs of turning against their team, by ordering them to “play on the floor”, the visitors took the lead.
Gary O’Neil’s shot was blocked but Collison arrowed the loose ball into the corner.
That should have been the cue for the Hammers to enjoy a comfortable final half-hour, but they squandered a string of chances to make the game safe.
It means Allardyce will be frantically chewing his gum until the final minutes of the
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the express
West Ham's Jack Collison hits the winner against Leicester
LEICESTER 1 WEST HAM 2: SAM ALLARDYCE TELLS ‘NERVY’ SAINTS 'IT'S OVER TO YOU'
SAM ALLARDYCE took a leaf out of Sir Alex Ferguson’s management manual after cranking up the tension on Southampton as the race for automatic promotion approaches a nerve-shredding finale.
Jack Collison secured West Ham the victory they desperately needed to keep their automatic promotion hopes alive, and Allardyce insists the pressure is all on Saints.
Collison’s 58th-minute winner enabled his team to move within two points of second-placed Southampton and now Allardyce’s men must beat Hull at home on Saturday and hope their promotion rivals slip up unexpectedly against the already relegated Coventry.
Allardyce said: “We’ve got that little bit of light at the end of the tunnel.
“We’ve got to hope Coventry do us a favour and the odds are that Southampton will win the game, everyone expects that to happen.
“But strange results happen all the time and we’ve got to hope that Southampton slip up and Coventry enjoy the game with no pressure and cause an upset.
“The pressure on Southampton is enormous to finish the outstanding season they’ve had. The nerve-endings could be jangling and the pressure might get to the players.
“No matter what happens, it has been a fantastic season and, if we’re not happy at the end of Saturday, we’ll focus on the play-offs.”
It was not an emphatic victory but a 13th away win of the season got the job done – and delayed hopes on the South Coast of Nigel Adkinsending Saints’ seven-year exile from the Premier League without even kicking a ball.
This was a dead rubber for the hosts but they responded after a hesitant start to take the lead 11 minutes before half-time. Ben Marshall, who has proven an excellent signing for Nigel Pearson after his £1million move from Stoke, bypassed Matt Taylor on the right before sending over a cross that presented Jermaine Beckford with a simple header.
:
There was an air of resignation from the sizeable away support, as they chanted “we’re going to Wembley”. But the picture changed five minutes later when the visitors levelled.
Taylor’s cross from the touchline seemed innocuous enough but completely bamboozled the home defence and Winston Reid stabbed home at the near post.
A night of frustration still appeared ominous, especially when Kevin Nolan wasted a glorious chance just before the hour, skying a drive high over the crossbar from just inside the area.
Allardyce turned on his heel on the touchline and shook his head, as if resigned to his fate.
But just as West Ham’s supporters began to show signs of turning against their team, by imploring them to “play on the floor”, the visitors took the crucial lead.
Gary O’Neil’s shot was blocked but Collison capitalised swiftly to arrow the loose ball into the corner.
The relief was palpable and suddenly Southampton’s hopes of celebrating automatic promotion were delayed until at least Saturday.
And both Allardyce and Adkins are getting ready for another nervy weekend.
Leicester (4-4-2): Schmeichel; Peltier, Bamba, Morgan, Konchesky; Marshall, Wellens (Dyer 22), Drinkwater, King (St Ledger 46); Nugent (Waghorn 65), Beckford. Goal: Beckford 34.
West Ham (4-4-1-1): Green; Demel (Faubert 77), Tomkins, Reid, Taylor; Collison (Lansbury 88), O’Neil, Noble, Vaz Te; Nolan; Cole (Collins 81). Booked: O’Neil. Goals: Reid 39, Collison 58.
Referee: E Ilderton (Tyne & Wear).
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the guardian
Jack Colison, right, celebrates with Matthew Taylor after scoring West Ham's winning goal against Leicester.
Leicester City 1
Beckford 34
West Ham United 2
Reid 39,
Collison 58
West Ham United's supporters are accustomed to the agony that is the extension of faint hope, so perhaps they will find the time leading up to Saturday's lunchtime kick-offs endurable. Needing to win to keep alive an outside chance of automatic promotion, Sam Allardyce's side duly came from behind to beat Leicester City: now they need only for Southampton to lose at home to already relegated Coventry while they beat Hull at home to avoid the purgatory that is the play-offs. Should the Saints be held to a draw, the Hammers would have to beat the Tigers – who have found good form of late – by four goals.
"We got what we wanted under enormous pressure and we've stayed in the race until the end," said Allardyce. "Now we have to do our job on Saturday, deliver a good sound victory and hope Coventry, with nothing to lose, can do us a favour. "Who knows? Everyone expects Southampton to win, but the pressure on them is enormous, they will be more nervous now than they will have been before this game, and we've seen a lot of upsets this season. It's a slim chance and whatever happens it's still been a very good season."
The primary threat to the Foxes in the opening minutes was their own lackadaisical defending. Danny Drinkwater and Sol Bamba were both caught in possession in their own penalty area in short order, affording Jack Collison the chance for a shot which Kasper Schmeichel had to dive full length to save.
The home supporters had to wait until midway through the half to see their side create a chance. Lloyd Dyer, on for the injured Richie Wellens, picked out an unmarked Jermaine Beckford with a cross from the left only for the centre-forward to plant his header wide.
Beckford's embarrassment did not last long. Picking up possession on the right wing, Ben Marshall turned past Matt Taylor and delivered a nicely flighted cross for the striker to rise above James Tomkins and head firmly past Robert Green.
Barely had the first ironic chants of 'We're going to Wembley' been heard from the travelling fans when the game was level. Again the goal resulted from a crossed ball, this time driven in hard and low by Taylor. With Schmeichel unmoved on his line and no Leicester defender reacting, Winston Reid had only to put out his foot to turn the ball into the goal.
It was a determined West Ham which re-emerged after the break and Mark Noble's thumping angled volley came within a foot of putting them into the lead. Kevin Nolan should at least have made Schmeichel save instead of scooping the ball high over the bar when faced with only the goalkeeper to beat from the edge of the penalty area, but fortunately for the Hammers Collison did have his shooting boots on. The Wales international was perfectly positioned when Gary O'Neil's shot was blocked and, from around 24 yards, his low drive was hit too firmly for Schmeichel to keep out.
The remaining half hour was a painfully nervous one for the visitors, during which even Allardyce would concede the 4-3-3 he usually insists he has sent his team out to play became a solid 4-5-1. For the most part, they restricted Leicester to shots from distance, easily saved by Green.
However often the club's supporters remind Allardyce that they're 'West Ham United and they play on the floor', the former Bolton manager has overseen a record-breaking season in at least one respect: this was West Ham's 13th win away from Upton Park, a club best.
Pearson, meanwhile, is anticipating a busy summer. "I'm very clear in my mind what we need to do and it's important we make changes," said the Leicester manager.
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the telegraph
[img]http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimeLeicester City 1 West Ham United 2
Jack Collison’s right arm bears a tattoo instructing him to “Reach For The Stars” and his first goal for almost three months ensured West Ham will take their struggle with Southampton for a place among the stellar cast of the Premier League to the final day of the Championship season.
Sam Allardyce has more furious gum chewing ahead and West Ham supporters more nail biting, but at least they will go into Saturday’s home game against Hull City knowing they still have a mathematical chance of promotion, albeit a slim one, with Nigel Adkins and Southampton relying on their home banker against relegated Coventry City.
The West Ham manager and his players have spent virtually the entire season fighting in the face of adversity. Once again their levels of resilience were tested by having to claw victory from the setback of conceding the opening goal to Jermaine Beckford and Collison and Winston Reid ensured Leicester’s season of greater underachievement, was not given the satisfactory glow of removing West Ham’s lingering hopes of automatic promotion.
Eight months ago the rhetoric emerging from both clubs, after acquiring the services of Allardyce and Sven-Goran Eriksson, was that nothing short of a place back at the Premier League top table would be considered a success. Leicester’s Thailand owners will have the entire summer to conduct an extensive post for a post-mortem on the £15 million experiment which failed to secure a seat.
Leicester vice-chairman Aiyawatt Raksriaksorn has already made it clear Nigel Pearson will remain as manager and the commitment to achieving the objective will be “stronger” next season. At least West Ham, with their similar levels of investment, arrived at the final two games of the season with a mathematical chance attaining their goal.
Irrespective of the raging argument of the methods Allardyce has employed, such nail-biting situation, when the depths of resources available at The Boleyn Ground are taken into consideration, should not have been allowed to develop. The weight of expectation, will have taken Alladyce’s chewing gum bill to record heights.
Profligacy has been a recurring theme throughout Allardyc’e frustration.
Once again he watched Carlton Cole demonstrate his lack of natural finishing qualities, squirting his header from inside the six-yard box, wide of the far post, when a positive start was essential and it was an error Leicester capitalised on.
Jermaine Beckford was a similar distance from goal when anticipated Ben Marshall’s right-wing cross and moved into the soft-centre between James Tomkins and Guy Demel to give Cole an object lesson in the art of close range headers for his 15th goal of the campaign.
It was imperative West Ham found a response before the interval and they did so courtesy of Matt Taylor’s bold overlapping run and vicious low cross to the near post where Winston Reid poked out his right foot for the crucial deflection to defeat Kasper Schmeichel.
Considering the levels of investment and the West Ham supporters’ intense dislike of Allardyce’s often agricultural approach it was fitting Collison, with his association with the fabled academy, who replaced bravado songs about “going to Wembley” with renewed hope of a final day celebration, only after Mark Noble and Kevin Nolan had spurned further opportunities.
Gary O’Neill’s original shot from outside the area rebounded off Sean St Ledger directly into the path of the Welsh international and a ferocious swish of Collison’s right boot propelled the ball with such force that Schmeichel’s powerful right forearm was unable to prevent it finding the net, but before his coaching staff could engulf him, Allardyce waved them back into their seats. He will not be in any mood to celebrate unless he can manufacture an astonishing final day turnaround.
Match details
Leicester (4-4-2): Schmeichel; Peltier, Bamba, Morgan, Konchesky; King (St Ledger ht), Drinkwater, Wellens (Dyer 23), Marshall; Nugent (Waghorn 65), Beckford.
Subs: Howard, Vassell.
West Ham (4-4-2): Green; Demel (Faubert 76), Reid, Tomkins, Taylor; Vaz Te, Noble, Collison (Lansbury 88),
O’Neill; Nolan; Cole (Collins 81).
Subs: Baldock, Bouba-Diop.
Booking: O’Neil.
Referee: E Ilderton (Tyne and Wear).
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the independent
Collison’s cracker takes promotion fight to wire
Leicester City 1 West Ham United 2
Sam Allardyce last night cranked up the tension on Southampton as the race for automatic promotion in the Championship approaches a nerve-shredding conclusion.
Allardyce took a leaf out of old friend Sir Alex Ferguson's management manual by insisting the pressure is all on Nigel Adkins' team after Jack Collison secured West Ham the victory they desperately needed to keep their automatic promotion hopes alive.
Collison's 58th-minute winner enabled the Hammers to move within two points of second-placed Southampton, and now Allardyce's players must beat Hull on Saturday and hope that their promotion rivals produce another unexpected defeat, against already relegated Coventry.
The odds may be stacked against them, and a place in the play-offs looks the most likely scenario, but at least they have ensured it remains interesting up until the final stages of a long slog.
Allardyce said: "We've got that little bit of light at the end of the tunnel. We've got to hope Coventry do us a favour. Strange results happen all the time and we've got to hope that Southampton slip up and Coventry enjoy the game with no pressure and cause an upset.
"The pressure on Southampton is enormous to finish the outstanding season they've had. The nerve-endings could be jangling and the pressure might get to the players."
It was not an emphatic victory but a 13th away win of the season got the job done, and delayed hopes on the South Coast of Adkins ending Saints' seven-year exile from the Premier League .
The remit was simple for West Ham here, with Southampton's surprise defeat at Middlesbrough presenting them with some unexpected encouragement.
This was a dead rubber for the hosts, with their hopes of sneaking a play-off place extinguished after last Tuesday's 0-0 draw with Burnley. But they responded after a hesitant start to take the lead on 34 minutes. Ben Marshall bypassed Matt Taylor on the right before sending over a cross that presented Jermaine Beckford with a simple header.
But the picture changed again five minutes later when the visitors were level. Taylor's cross from the touchline seemed innocuous enough but completely bamboozled the Leicester defence and Winston Reid stabbed the ball in at the near post.
And their superiority was rewarded when Gary O'Neil's shot was blocked but Collison capitalised swiftly to arrow the loose ball into the corner.
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leicester mercury
Leicester City fail to halt Hammers promotion challenge
[color=#800000]
A rare home defeat for Leicester City kept West Ham's Championship automatic promotion challenge going to the final day of the season.
City went down 2-1 at the King Power Stadium, despite a first-half Jermaine Beckford header putting them in front.
Anything but victory for West Ham would have handed Southampton their return to the Barclays Premier League behind champions Reading and left the Hammers in the play-offs.
Saints remain favourites to follow the Royals up in second spot but at least Sam Allardyce's men have made the south coast club earn their reward on the pitch on Saturday lunchtime against already-relegated Coventry.
It looked like that may not be the case when Jermaine Beckford headed Leicester in front against the run of play.
But West Ham responded quickly through Winston Reid before Jack Collison smashed home the winning goal in the second half.
Joint-leading scorer Carlton Cole looked a handful on his return from a knee problem and it was his presence that forced a mistake from Sol Bamba inside his own penalty area after six minutes.
The Leicester centre-half dwelled on the ball, Cole dispossessed him and teed-up Gary O'Neil whose low shot was well held by Kasper Schmeichel getting down to his right at full stretch.
Cole went close himself with 15 minutes gone, glancing a header wide from Mark Noble's whipped free-kick.
Immediately afterwards, the England striker found himself bearing down on Schmeichel - with Wes Morgan in tow - after latching on to Noble's through-ball.
As Cole was about to pull the trigger 12 yards out, Morgan made a superb last-ditch tackle.
Leicester were forced into a change after 22 minutes when captain Richie Wellens limped off injured.
Lloyd Dyer replaced him and the winger almost made an immediate impact, crossing dangerously from the right but Beckford headed wide.
West Ham threatened again when Kevin Nolan volleyed a dropping ball narrowly wide from the left-hand side of the area.
It was against the run of play when Beckford put the hosts in front after 34 minutes.
Ben Marshall evaded Matt Taylor down the right and crossed for Beckford to plant a header past Robert Green.
But it was a terrific response from the promotion chasers, who were level within five minutes. Taylor whipped in a brilliant low cross and Reid poked home from inside the six yard box.
James Tomkins almost sent the Hammers into half-time in front but his header from another Taylor cross went inches wide.
Perhaps concerned by the number of chances West Ham were creating, Leicester boss Nigel Pearson made another change at the break. Sean St Ledger replaced King, with Bamba moving into midfield.
However, West Ham still created opportunities and should have gone ahead after 57 minutes but Nolan miscued horribly from a useful Noble pass. A minute later though it was 2-1 as Collison thumped a powerful 18-yard effort beyond an unsighted Schmeichel after St Ledger had initially blocked a shot from O'Neil.
The visitors took their foot off the gas a little, perhaps trying to defend what they had, but still looked a threat on the break.
Ricardo Vaz Te and Collison passed up the chance to settle the game between them with 16 minutes remaining - both hesitating inside the box to allow former Hammer Paul Konchesky to make a brilliant saving tackle.
West Ham came within inches of a third goal late on as Taylor's low cross from the left was turned inches past his own post by St Ledger.
Nolan then spurned a one-on-one in injury-time, tamely shooting straight at Schmeichel.
And the Hammers were almost made to pay for their latest missed chance but Green hung on to Morgan's header at the death.
Leicester Schmeichel, Peltier, Morgan, Bamba, Konchesky, Marshall, Wellens (Dyer, 22), Drinkwater, King (St Ledger , 46), Beckford, Nugent (Waghorn, 65). Substitutes not used Howard, Vassell[/color].
West Ham Green, Demel ( Faubert, 76), Reid, Tomkins, Taylor, Collison (Lansbury, 88), Noble, Nolan, O'Neil, Cole (Collins , 81), Vaz Te. Substitutes not used Baldock, Diop.
Referee E Ilderton (Tyne & Wear).
dia/archive/02201/Kevin_Nolan_2201363b.jpg[/img]
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Caught Offside
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