It was a cold start to the day as we left home some of us were a bit worse for ware after the night before but after a cup of tea and a sausage roll we were soon our way. As we got up towards the ground you could tell that the tension was starting to grow as all of the radio stations where having mixed feelings about the match some saying that it would be another easy three points for the hammers and some expecting a very tough task for the claret and blues and to be fair like ourselves came into the match really in good if not great form.

When we got our seats we knew like every other away match with the blues it was another sellout, Every Evertonian in the ground was buzzing with anticipation for the match to get going.

And on with the match Mavis's Lad blew his whistle and the match was up and running and after some good early touches from Arteta, Biffa and Ossie we had some good early pressure and created one or two half chances. Then on ten minutes out of the blue a couple of great one touch passes from the West Ham midfield lead up to the Hammers taking the lead with Marlon Harewood spinning on the edge of our area to hit a hard low shot threw Stubbsy's legs and past the stretched Westerveld into the Blues net.(1-0 ten mins)

We rallied back and soon after another little spell of good pressure we got the ball down the left hand side and with the unbelievable interchange between Micky and Timmy, Arteta raced into the box to then delicately slip the ball to the oncoming Osman to rattle the ball into the roof of the net.(1-1 eighteen mins)

We all then had the belief that West Ham were here for the taking and just when we thought we getting back on top after a great chance for Cahill inside the Hammers eighteen yard box, West Ham then caught us on the brake putting Ashton threw on goal to slot past Sander (23 mins) to give the Hammers a 2-1 lead at the break.

Half Time West Ham 2 EVERTON 1

After the teams came back onto the pitch after the half time interval you could see that Moyesy must have had a right go at them because when you looked at it we all knew that we should never had gone in 2-1 down and that showed in the second half as the Blues dominated from the first whistle.

After a couple of good chances to get back on level terms we started to see good individual bits of play from Ossie, Cahill but most of all Micky Arteta who with out any doubt is our most valuable and skillfullist player.

Then after seeing all that good pressure and determination we got our just rewards with just under twenty minutes to go after some good play in the in the West Ham half the ball came in from the left and ended up falling to the chest of James Beattie. Biffa to his mates turned and placed a shot on the volley over Shaka Hislops head and into the top corner to make it 2-2 and then came running over towards us to celebrate with the on looking England coach Sven Goran Eriksson watching.(71 mins)

We then thought that's it now a nice little point away at a West Ham team who were before today's game looking for the sixth consecutive league win but that was never going to happen after Biffa's equalizer

And then with two minutes to go a great ball was whipped in from the left hand side only for it to drop onto the head of the on running sub Simon Davies only for him to miss the target from three yards out with a very weak header over the bar. Deep into injury time our other sub Killa Kilbane raced threw with the goal gaping down on him only for him to fizz a left footed shot across the face of the Hammers goal to the feet of the surprised James Beattie who missed from a tight angle two yards out when really Kilbane should have gone for goal.

At the final whistle we were all gutted that we only got a share of the spoils but after watching a great match between two inform teams we sat back on the coach on the way home only to think that we should have got all three points today but before today we probably would have settled for a point. Oh yeah i have got to give a big shout out to our Star Mans performance today, Mikel Arteta has got to be one of the best Spanish players around at this moment in time and would run rings around those other Spanish pricks at the other side of Stanley Park, Well in Micky lad you done us proud today. Final score then from Upton Park is West Ham 2 EVERTON 2 .

Full Time West Ham 2 EVERTON 2

Cahill Heads For Goal	Faddy Tussles With Hislop

 

Chris Reports from Upton Park

Blue Kipper Star Man

Silky Spanish Sensation