Premiership
Birmingham City 0-1 West Ham United 

Saturday, 18th August 2007
by Gordon Thrower

Away trips. You gotta love ‘em. Traipsing up and down motorways in the rain in the often vain hope of seeing three points join you on the trip home.



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Player Ratings

Robert Green
Robinson, James and Carson are in the England squad. No, really.


Jonathan Spector
Much better than last week though he still must be considered as a stand-in until Neill is fit again.


George McCartney
Solid ?EUR" though one misplaced pass put Mullins in a position where he had no option to pick up a yellow.


Anton Ferdinand
Another much better performance ?EUR" one early lapse in concentration apart he focussed on getting there and getting rid.


Matthew Upson
Solid enough but distribution was a bit suspect on a day when the passing was much improved.


Mark Noble
At the heart of much that was good. Did the right thing at the right time and kept a cool head for the penalty.


Hayden Mullins
Solid and unspectacular. Got his foot in and laid it off.


Kieron Dyer
Did enough to suggest he might be a useful acquisition but lack of time with his new team-mates was all-too apparent.


Matthew Etherington
Continued on from the promising spell last week which was strangely curtailed by his shift to left-back.


Craig Bellamy
Full of running and a constant threat to the home defence. A goal or two is next on the agenda.


Bobby Zamora
Time for shooting practice methinks. Got into a number of promising positions only to finish poorly.



Substitutes

Danny Gabbidon
(Replaced Spector, 86) Only on for a few minutes but got a good block in.


Jimmy Walker
Did not play.


Lee Bowyer
Did not play.


Luis Boa Morte
Did not play.


Dean Ashton
Did not play.



Match Facts

West Ham United: Robert Green, Jonathan Spector, George McCartney, Anton Ferdinand, Matthew Upson, Mark Noble, Hayden Mullins, Kieron Dyer, Matthew Etherington, Craig Bellamy, Bobby Zamora.

Goals: Mark Noble 70                  .

Booked: Hayden Mullins 6 Jonathan Spector 44        .

Sent Off: None sent off.     .

Birmingham City: Doyle, Parnaby, Jaidi, Ridgewell, Kelly, Larsson, Muamba, Nafti, Kapo, O'Connor, Forssell.

Subs not used: Vine, Taylor.

Goals: .

Booked: Parnaby (35), Nafti (55), Ridgewell (69), Kapo (73).

Sent off: None.

Referee: M.Halsey.

Attendance: 24,961.

Man of the Match: Mark Noble.