“This is the reason I bought a season ticket, West Ham vs Millwall” This is what my friend said to me in the ground today. Today was the day all West Ham fans and Millwall fans were waiting for.
Thankfully there were no such scenes that marred the Carling Cup tie in 2009. But this game didn’t avoid incidents on it. Three goals and sending off were the main talking points from the big derby game in the East End of London.
For me my first West Ham Millwall games, the tension in the air as we approached Upton Park station, I’m not going to lie the heart was pumping ten to the dozen. We got out to a sea of green and silver, and more horses than at Aintree during the Grand National. But there were no incidents to report. We got to the ground and the atmosphere started to build.
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As the players walked out the tunnel to bubbles, the hairs on the back of my neck began to stand up but maybe that was just the cold. The teams changed ends and the Millwall players trudged towards the Bobby Moore lower expecting abuse which they duly received.
The start of the first half was a scrappy affair but it only took nine minutes for Kevin Nolan to try and win the fans over with a crunching lunge on Jack Smith and the referee produced the red card and the Hammers were looking at an uphill battle. To their credit they rolled their sleeves up and battled, Mark Noble took over the captain armband and looked like a man on a mission chasing every ball.
James Tomkins moved into an unconventional defensive midfield position and didn’t look out of place in midfield. And just before the break the thing all West Ham fans were craving a lead at half time. Nobles whipped in cross was header backward by Winston Reid cleverly to leave Carlton Cole with the simplest of headers past ex Hammer David Forde.
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As the players walked off for half time the chant “10 men we’ve only got 10 men” was ringing around Upton Park. Half time came and went and the players walked back into the cauldron. West Ham made one change bringing on Matthew Taylor for the tireless Jack Collison.
Millwall came out and played with slightly more confidence but were still struggling to make the man advantage pay. But in the 64th minute and throw in found Henderson who was too strong for Faye as he poked it back for Liam Trotter to volley home superbly. To the delight of the travelling fans in the upper tier of the Sir Trevor Brooking stand and the despair of the Hammers and my hand which felt the full force of the seat in front.
Just three minutes later the final piece of controversy as a clipped ball forward and under stern pressure from Julien Faubert (who had his best game in a claret and blue shirt for a long time) Forde could only punch to centre half Winston Reid who smash a volley from just outside the box to send the Hammers back into the lead. In modern football nowadays the challenge from Julien Faubert on Forde would usually be deemed a foul, but referee Jones gave the goal and The Irons were bouncing in the terraces again.
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Millwall to their credit threw the kitchen sink at the tiring 10 men of West Ham but the Irons dug in to give Big Sam his “best win of his managerial career” and the Hammers their first league win over Millwall since 1991.
After a 30 minute wait and Plaistow station, we were well on a way back home without seeing any incidents and three more points towards promotion, I hope.
Come On You Irons.
Man of the Match- Mark Noble- Ran the midfield and chased everything superb performance from the Canning town man.
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