25th August, 2007

KB: KUMB; HM Hammers Mad; ST Sunday Times; SE Sunday Express; SM Sunday Mirror; OB Observer;
DM Daily Mirror; GU Guardian; TM Times; HD Hammers Diary; SK Sky; DE Daily Express

SA: Sanchoz; AN Antony; HL:Hammer Laffers; BF: Bishops Finger; VR: ViperRacer; BH Bonehead;
WH WestLondonHammer; RM RM9; BB The Bob; BO Bobby Orangeboom; AY Andy;

Sunday Times: All afternoon, West Ham were unsure just how to unpick this particular Lancastrian lock but did have their share of half-chances in the first half. Anton Ferdinand’s newly shorn head made powerful contact with Mark Noble’s cross, only to beat both Chris Kirkland and his post and when Kieron Dyer’s cross eluded the entire white-shirted defence, Zamora, on the edge of the six-yards box, missed his kick entirely... Ashton, though, still looks far from fully fit and he too struggled to impose himself upon Andreas Granqvist and Titus Bramble as did Luis Boa Morte, when he replaced a hobbling Bellamy. Yet, in a glimpse of what may be the future, Boa Morte and Ashton combined intuitively to craft the equaliser. The pair played a delicate headed one-two before Boa Morte danced through the centre of the visiting defence and squared for a third substitute, Lee Bowyer, who sidefooted handsomely past Kirkland for his first West Ham strike. “He’s been desperate for a goal,” smiled Curbishley “But it just hasn’t fallen for him.” (John Aizlewood, 26th August, 2007)

The Times: West Ham probably would have lost this game a year ago – in fact, they did, as they did in the two seasons before that as well – but Lee Bowyer scored his first goal for the club three minutes later. Bramble was busy looking after Dean Ashton, whose introduction on the hour suddenly made it seem that West Ham’s possession and haphazardly directed pace might result in a goal. Ashton could make his first start since breaking an ankle in an England training session just under a year ago in tomorrow’s Carling Cup tie away to Bristol Rovers, but Alan Curbishley, the manager, will not rush him back. “He’s worked so hard to get back to full fitness,” Curbishley said. “If he isn’t 100 per cent right when he goes out there, and if he starts and gets tired it might cause problems. We think we’ve got him where he should be now.” (Nick Szczepanik, 27th August, 2007)

The Guardian: As the game progressed the home crowd became increasingly demanding, and increasingly they were demanding Dean Ashton. As with Carlos Tevez when he arrived last December, Curbishley is keeping his most popular striker on the bench, though Ashton should start tomorrow's Carling Cup tie at Bristol Rovers as he continues his comeback from a broken ankle. "The crowd calling my name makes me feel fantastic," said Ashton. "It gives me a buzz and makes me want to show my appreciation of them on the pitch." If Ashton is desperate to reward the West Ham fans with a goal, he is not alone. "You want that goal," said Bellamy, still searching for his first for the club. "Sometimes that takes over everything, which it shouldn't do. You want to get off the mark." Five of the Hammers' starting XI are yet to score for them, and watching the substitute Lee Bowyer's joy on breaking his own duck in the 81st minute can't have helped their mood. "He went a bit mental," surmised Ashton. "He feels like the first time he came to West Ham (on loan in 2003) he didn't show what he can do. This time he's out to show that." (Simon Burnton, 27th August, 2007)

KUMB: Although at the start of the game not many of the Upton Park faithful would have been too happy with a draw, in the event it could have all gone pear-shaped like last season where our record against the so-called lesser teams at home was not good. Wigan were well-organised and defended competently. A draw was not a bad outcome at all given how late we had conceded. Taking the positives out of the game, our defence looked solid once again and the pace coming forward courtesy of Bellamy and Dyer was telling. Boa Morte made a real difference when he came on and the manager got that change absolutely right. The downside is that Zamora is looking a bit out of touch and with Ashton still on the road to full fitness, we are definitely lacking the killer instinct up front. Dyer and Bellamy are not prolific goalscorers so you wonder whether that last gasp transfer activity should be aimed towards someone like Anelka or dare I say it Defoe. Yes I am going to say it. (East End Martin, 27th August, 2007)

Daily Mirror: Dean Ashton has declared himself ready and raring to go for England - now he just needs a starting place in the West Ham side. Irons boss Alan Curbishley insisted he is "easing" the £7.25m striker back into action following his horror ankle break last August. But after failing to win at home for the second time this season - and rumblings of crowd discontent similar to when Carlos Tevez was benched last season - the No.9's return to the side is now inevitable after his introduction helped salvage a point against Wigan... "I am raring to go," said Ashton after linking up West Ham's attacking during his lively 30-minute substitute appearance. "I'm ready to be let loose, but I've got to be patient and just wait my turn."I'm available to play for England. I don't expect to walk back into the squad but I do feel ready to play if picked. It's just a case of the manager picking me. That's a massive dream of mine." Ashton is a class above Bobby Zamora, who started against Wigan, and the West Ham faithful know it. As their dominance of possession failed to be converted into goals, the chants of: 'Deano, Deano' echoed around the Boleyn Ground before his introduction."It's very special to hear fans calling my name, especially after the year I've had," Ashton continued. "It makes me feel really good, and spurs me on to come on and try to influence the game." ( Neil McLeman, 27th August, 2007)

Hammers Mad: With three wins from their previous four league visits to Upton Park, the fourth-placed Latics also had history on their side, but it was West Ham who shone in the scorching sunlight in a one-sided opening half-hour that saw George McCartney send a long-ranger over the angle and another shot onto the roof of Chris Kirkland's net. And with Craig Bellamy and Kieron Dyer busily buzzing around the Wigan defence, West Ham were left to rue the fact that Bobby Zamora had, seemingly, left his shooting boots in the dressing room with a series of mis-kicks and airshots. On the quarter-hour mark, Mark Noble floated over a precision cross that was met by the soaring Zamora, who sent a downward header bouncing tantalisingly wide of Kirkland's right-hand post to the dismay of the home crowd... With their excellent Upton Park record, Wigan's legacy of upsetting the east enders continued when they took the lead in spectacular style after Melchiot's long-throw was nodded on by Emile Heskey and Scharner sent an acrobatic overhead kick past Green from 12 yards. But this time the Latics' joy did not last long and within just three minutes, Ashton combined with Luis Boa Morte, whose precision pass invited the overlapping Bowyer to place a crisp, angled 12-yarder wide of Kirkland. (Footymad, 27th August, 2007)

Sky Sports: Wigan looked composed on the ball but had few chances, before Scharner produced a cracking out-of-the-blue effort from an Emile Heskey flick on. A stunned Hammers side pushed desperately for the equaliser, which duly arrived from substitute Lee Bowyer, who had missed a sitter from close range moments before. Bobby Zamora, still preferred to Dean Ashton as a starter, chalked up two spectacular misses, skewering one shot across goal for a throw-in and then letting Dyer's cross run under his foot with only Chris Kirkland to beat in the 21st minute. Anton Ferdinand's header bounced just wide of a post when he jumped head and shoulders above everybody for Mark Noble's cross and Craig Bellamy was denied by a linesman's flag when he sped through onto Dyer's pass on 33 minutes. (Hayley Paterson, 28th August, 2007)

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