Green gaffe costs nervy Hammers APPLETON PUTS MIND GAMES AT TOP OF AGENDA
SAM ALLARDYCE blamed a collective loss of nerve for the result that almost certainly means the play- offs will be the only route back to the Barclay Premier League for West Ham this season.
And that hardly augurs well — because if his players cannot handle the pressure of having to win against relegationthreatened Bristol City it puts a huge question mark over whether they can deal with the drama of the end- ofseason knock-out contest that is worth £80million or more.
Robert Green’s first-half blunder did the damage. The England squad goalkeeper was deceived by an awkward bounce when City midfielder Cole Skuse tried a shot from nearly 30 yards.
That one moment undid all the good work from a solid opening spell in which James Tomkins had given West Ham a deserved lead and it had been hard to see anything other than another away win to add to the record-breaking 12 that had gone before.
‘Maybe the nerve- ends are jangling because it is so important to us,’ said manager Allardyce. ‘This game is full of results that go against expectations at this time of the season for that reason.
‘ Probably Robert could have done better but the rest of the players should have got us back into the situation to win the game and it would not have mattered. There was plenty of time. Robert has won us enough games with the saves he has made.’
It was a bitter irony that just when Allardyce had finally solved West Ham’s problems at home it was their away form that turned against them.
The longer the second half went on the less likely they looked to turn pressure into a winning goal — and in the end Allardyce resorted to sending on giant striker John Carew and encouraging his side to pump balls into the box.
After scoring six on Saturday against Brighton, West Ham were in the mood to make a quick start.
But City goalkeeper Dean Gerken, whose promotion ahead of former England No 1 David James has brought a six-match unbeaten run, dealt well with a couple of dangerous crosses.
Ricardo Vaz Te, hat-trick hero of the victory over Brighton, did manage to manoeuvre himself some room after 25 minutes, but snatched at his shot.
But when West Ham’s opening goal came a few moments later it was a present. Nicky Maynard, playing against his old club, was brought down out wide on the left by Andre Amougou and from Mark Noble’s free- kick Tomkins was left unmarked at the back post to head home Hammer blow: James Tomkins celebrates the opening goal and turn to the delighted travelling fans them Championship nearby. season.
All that work was undone within five Manager Derek Mcinnes said: ‘I was minutes as Skuse, who had not scored a disappointed with our start and it took us league goal in 33 games this season, took going behind to get some vigour and energy an optimistic swing from nearly 30 yards in our game. But after Cole’s goal the out and Green was deceived by the bounce players started to believe and did better. of the ball before it sailed beyond his ‘It’s six unbeaten and we needed that outstretched hand and into the net. type of run to get out of trouble. We are
West Ham’s Henri Lansbury did have a nearly there but nearly is a big, big word. shot that skimmed the bar early in the It is important we prepare now to finish second half, but by the end City were well the job off.’ worth a draw which means a victory West Ham also have a job to finish — if over Barnsley on Saturday will guarantee they have the nerve to do it.
football next PORTSMOUTH manager Michael Appleton turned the heat on fellow struggling Bristol City boss Derek Mcinnes by declaring: ‘The pressure’s all on you.’ Appleton watched his Pompey team, who had to better the Robins’ result to stay in the Championship, beat Crystal Palace at Fratton Park. And with Bristol City drawing at home to promotion -chasing West Ham 1-1, Appleton said Mcinnes is the one who should be worried with Pompey five points behind with two games left — Derby at home, Nottingham Forest away. Appleton said: ‘It is still on. We’re going to try and win on Saturday and see where we are. All the pressure is on Bristol City. If we’d won tonight and they had won we would have been down anyway, so we just have to focus on ourselves.’ Portsmouth opened the scoring on 32 minutes when on-loan Scott Allan from West Brom hit a shot from 25 yards which deflected off Nathaniel Clyne and flew past the wrong-footed Julian Speroni. The home team doubled their lead 10 minutes after half time, Greg Halford heading in Allan’s corner, yet again with help from a deflection off the unlucky Clyne. Palace halved the deficit on 71 minutes, Wilfried Zaha being pulled down in the area by Luke Varney as he twisted and turned Portsmouth defenders. Substitute Darren Ambrose stepped up and tucked the penalty under goalkeeper Jamie Ashdown but Pompey held on for three vital points. Crystal Palace manager Dougie Freedman wished Portsmouth the best in their fight to beat the drop because he knows how it feels to be in their poor financial position. Palace were deducted 10 points in January 2010 after going into administration and Freedman said: ‘Good luck to them. I have been in their position. ‘We had 10 points deducted two years ago and Paul Hart did a fantastic job. I was here last year and I know how tough it is. ‘They have got a good crowd down here and a good spirit. They have battled away against all the odds and good luck to them for that. ‘It was a good game to watch but we’ve got to win football matches. We missed some good chances, which I was disappointed with.’