Marlon Harewood notched his 11th goal of the season to promise FA Cup fourth
round revenge for West Ham but Sheffield United stormed back in the second half
of a physical battle to earn a replay at Bramall Lane.
Harewood emerged with the glory for Hammers, grabbing a deserved lead six
minutes before the interval but Teddy Sheringham was targeted by Blades in a
bruising off-the-ball war after he went down in search of a penalty midway
through the first half.
If Harewood had maintained his first-half threat, West Ham would have ended
their run of three consecutive league defeats with a place in the fifth round,
but the scuffling nature of the contest suited Neil Warnock's team and Phil
Jagielka headed an equaliser after 57 minutes - thanks to a blunder by Hammers
keeper Stephen Bywater.
Powerful striker' Harewood's participation was in doubt with his wife heavily
pregnant but the situation certainly did not affect his game as he led the
Hammers line with strength and style.
West Ham looked much the more creative side in the first half against a side
who beat them comfortably at Upton Park less than a month ago - and Harewood was
always the man who most threatened to deliver.
After an early sighter he sent wide the striker set up an opening by expertly
chesting down Thomas Repka's cross for Hayden Mullins to fire off target.
Two minutes later Harewood stung keeper Kenny's hands from a Malky Mackay
through-pass.
When Nick Montgomery struck Blades' first shot of note it was well off the
mark but in the 26th minute the industrious Michael Tonge was much closer,
cutting in from the left and grazing the outside of the far post with his
effort.
Harewood, though, was furious when Danny Cullip brought him down on his way
through on the half-hour. Referee Dermot Gallagher gave a free kick but only the
mildest of rebukes to the defender.
Sheringham was verbally abused by Sheffield fans after Chris Morgan collapsed
in a heap but once more Gallagher took no action. And teenager Mark Noble
scuffed a good chance wide almost immediately afterwards.
But in the 39th minute, Harewood showed him how to do it with an unstoppable
finish from Sheringham's pass.
And he almost added a second in first half stoppage-time, powering away from
Bywater's throw following a Blades corner he was just about squeezed out by
weight of numbers.
Yet West Ham started the second half as though they were struggling and the
Blades began to take control.
Sheringham needed a long spell of treatment after an off-the-ball incident
before Jagielka headed an equaliser from Andy Liddell's cross in the 57th
minute.
Bywater looked as though he would save it but the ball crept under his body
and slipped over the line.
West Ham were never again able to exert their earlier supremacy and although
it was Sheffield who got stuck in it was Alan Pardew's side who picked up the
bookings for wild responses with four yellow cards.
Teams
West Ham Bywater, Repka, Ferdinand, Mackay, Powell, Noble,
Fletcher, Mullins (Rebrov 84), Chadwick (Reo-Coker 77),
Sheringham, Harewood.
Subs Not Used: Walker, Brevett, Zamora.
Booked: Repka, Noble, Rebrov.
Goals: Harewood 39.
Sheff Utd Kenny, Morgan, Bromby, Cullip, Geary, Jagielka,
Liddell (Forte 79), Montgomery, Harley, Gray, Tonge.
Subs Not Used: Ward, Cadamarteri, Thirlwell, Francis.
Goals: Jagielka 57.
Att: 19,444
Ref: D Gallagher (Oxfordshire).
E-mail Article 
Print-Friendly
Subscribe to RSS Feed 
Post to del.icio.us
Facebook