Carroll belter but Irons winless run goes on
West Ham were forced to settle for a draw in an often thrilling affir which saw Andy Carroll score a goal of the season qualifier.
Sadly, Swansea equalised through Bafétimbi Gomis but on the balance of play -disappointing though it was – a draw was probably a justified result.
The big fella had given the Irons their lead when he took two touches with his head two touches with his head from Downing’s cross, before nicking the ball from Fernandez, turning and smashing home a top right hand corner belter.
It was his fourth goal of the sdeason – three of them coming against the Welsh outfit.
Until then chances had been few and far between although the influential Gylfi Sigurdsson had a chance when firing straight at Adrian at the end of a fine move.
The Hammers had never allowed the hosts to settle into their normal free flowing home ground style and Garry Monk’s men could never get really underway.
However, immediately following Carroll’s blockbuster Carl Jenkinson produced a magnificent block to deny Routledge.
Aaron Cresswell on the other side, produced a flawless display, defending superbly and getting forward at every opportunity to constantly trouble the Swansea defence.
Sigurdsson was a constant menace popping up in space to prompt Swansea forward but the Irons should have been two up when an unmarked Collins guided his header from Noble’s corner wide.
But as the game swung from one end to the other it was Gomis who rose above the Hammers defence from Sigurdsson’s corner before the ball crashed into the post and off Noble into the net.
That prompted a serious reaction from the Irons with both Downing and Jenkinson bring fantastic flying saves from Fabianksi.
The Taylor cleared a Tomkins header off the line and a Cresswell freekick was spilled by the Swansea keeper but Carroll could toe end the rebound past him.
Adrian 5 Jenkinson 7 Reid 6, Toimkins 7, Collins 7 Cresswell 9 noble 7 Nolan 6 Downing 6 Carroll 7 Valencia 5 Subs Amalfitino 6 Poyet 5