Carroll last-minute strike denies Stoke

Andy Carroll climbed off the treatment table to score a dramatic last-minute equaliser and deny Stoke a precious win in their battle for Premier League survival.

The striker, out injured since the turn of the year, was sent on as a last throw of the dice by manager David Moyes with West Ham trailing to Peter Crouch’s goal.

And within three minutes Carroll fired home from the edge of the area to snatch a 1-1 draw which edged the Hammers closer to safety and left Stoke in serious trouble.

England boss Gareth Southgate was in attendance to witness two strikers of old take centre stage. But Southgate was running the rule over opposing goalkeepers Joe Hart and Jack Butland –and it was Stoke stopper Butland who at least won that showdown with Hart badly at fault for Crouch’s 79th-minute goal.

At half-time, though, many fans were probably wishing they had stayed at home. At least one man, though, was grateful for a lack of incident. Referee Michael Oliver was in charge of his first match since he caused a storm by sending off Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon against Real Madrid last week.

Oliver was busier shortly after the break as West Ham twice had the ball in the back of the net only to see both goals disallowed. First Marko Arnautovic converted Aaron Cresswell’s cross with a deft header but he had strayed offside. Then a low Edimilson Fernendes drive flew past Butland but Arnautovic, this time clearly offside, was in the keeper’s way. Butland made another decent save to palm away Cresswell’s long-range effort, but when Hart was called into action from similar distance he failed.

The Manchester City loanee fumbled Xherden Shaqiri’s shot and was too slow to react, allowing Crouch to stab the ball home.

But enter Carroll, and in the final minute the big frontman stroked home a crisp first-time shot. It could have been worse for Stoke but Javier Hernandez had an even later goal disallowed for a foul by Carroll.

WEST HAM: Hart, Rice, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Zabaleta, Noble, Kouyate, Masuaku (Lanzini 81), Fernandes (Hernandez 76), Joao Mario (Carroll 86),Arnautovic. Subs not used: Hugill, Adrian, Evra, Cullen. STOKE: Butland, Zouma, Shawcross, Martinsindi, Pieters, Bauer (Crouch70), Allen, Ndiaye, Sobhi (Cameron 62), Shaqiri, Diouf (Ireland 87). Subs not used: Fletcher, Grant, Campbell, Sorenson.