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A Mark Noble penalty is the difference between the two teams at the break in this afternoon's Championship clash between West Ham and Portsmouth.

Noble struck from 12 yards with 24 minutes on the clock to fire the Hammers ahead. It was no more than Sam Allardyce's team deserved as West Ham had taken the game to their hosts from the start.

The penalty - which followed another good shout five minutes earlier when Faubert was felled on the perimeter of the penalty area - was awarded when Winston Reid was hauled over by Pompey's Jason Pearce.

Noble's penalty was perfectly placed inside the left-hand post - as it had to be, for 'keeper Stephen Henderson guessed correctly and managed to get a touch on the ball as it whizzed past him.

Portsmouth - who looked a different team after the injured Aaron Mokoena was replaced by Erik Huseklepp on 32 minutes - finished the half the stronger and but for two fantastic saves from Robert Green as the half time whistle approached would have restored parity.

Firstly Green was on hand to deny Liam Lawrence from point blank range before he somehow managed to divert Pearce's flick over the bar.

Clearly scant consolation for the home fans, who booed the referee and his assistants from the field of play at the break.

We'll have more for you at the final whistle...

West Ham Utd: Green, O'Brien, Tomkins, Reid, McCartney, Diop, Noble, Nolan, Faubert, Collison, Cole.

Subs: Faye, O'Neil, Lansbury, Baldock, Carew.

Portsmouth: Henderson, Mokoena, Pearce, Ward, Ben Haim, Halford, Mullins, Lawrence, Norris, Kitson, Futacs.

Subs: Ashdown, Webster, Williams, Huseklepp, Benjani.

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