Hammers’ greater satisfaction
THE Rolling Stones will perform at the London Stadium next month and last night the old and the infirm helped set the stage. First Peter Crouch came off the bench to defy his 37 years and score his first goal since November. Then just as Stoke thought they had stolen three priceless points from a game where they were dominated, Andy Carroll came on to fire the equaliser. Carroll’s was a spectacular volley. Crouch’s was a close-range strike from a mistake by Joe Hart. Gareth Southgate came to watch two English goalkeepers and the game was settled by two old-timers. The point suits West Ham more than Stoke for whom, after a decade in the Premier League the fire seems to be finally fading. West Ham opened like a team with confidence restored having taken a point at Chelsea on their last outing. Memories of the anarchic defeat here against Burnley, an occasion marred by pitch invasions and protests, seemed to be long forgotten as Referee Michael Oliver was taking charge of his first game since last week’s explosive Champions League quarter-final between Real Madrid and Juventus. Oliver has been the targets of abuse by some Juventus supporters since he gave Real a penalty to win the tie in added time and sent off Gianluigi Buffon. The game loosened up as it passed the hour and Stoke thought they had won it when Crouch (pictured) pounced in the 79th minute only for Carroll to equalise in added time. WEST HAM (3-4-2-1): Hart 4; Rice 6, Ogbonna 6, Cresswell 6.5; Zabaleta 6, Kouyate 6, Noble 6.5, Masuaku 6.5 (Lanzini 81min); Fernandes 6.5 (Hernandez 76), Joao Mario 6 (Carroll 86); Arnautovic 6.5. Subs not used: Adrian, Cullen, Evra, Hugill. Scorer: Carroll 90. Booked: Kouyate, Cresswell. Manager: David Moyes 6. STOKE (4-2-3-1): BUTLAND 8; Zouma 6, Shawcross 7, Martins Indi 6, Pieters 6; Allen 6, Ndiaye 6.5; Bauer 6 (Crouch 70, 7), Shaqiri 6.5, Sobhi 5 (Cameron 61, 6); Diouf 6 (Ireland 87). Subs not used: Grant, Fletcher, Campbell, Sorenson. Scorer: Crouch 79. Booked: Martins Indi, Crouch, Ndiaye. Manager: Paul Lambert 6.5. Referee: Michael Oliver 6.5.