It felt like it was going to be a moment that summed up West Ham's tragicomic season. They were coasting at 2-0 up in the second half, were on their way to their first victory at Upton Park since 30 November and one of football's great bromances had been reunited, Andy Carroll creating two goals for Kevin Nolan. Things were looking up for once.
Few clubs have as great a capacity for self-destruction as West Ham, though, and when Carroll ruined all his earlier good work after being sent off after a clash with Swansea's Chico Flores, who will not be collecting any awards for his acting skills, three crucial points were in danger of being thrown away. A narrative was being established. Not this time, though. Instead, in the face of relentless pressure from Swansea City, West Ham dug in and clung on for a vital win in their battle against relegation. These are the occasions when their supporters might appreciate having Sam Allardyce as their manager.
In a way, West Ham's season began here. Their morale boosted by Wednesday's gutsy 0-0 draw at Chelsea, Carroll started for the third successive match, their new Italian signings, Marco Borriello and Antonio Nocerino, were on the bench and they were joined there by Winston Reid, in the squad for the first time since the start of November after an ankle injury. Optimism had returned.
Defending for your lives to earn a point against Chelsea is one thing, though, beating Swansea at home quite another, and for a while it looked as if Allardyce had forgotten to remove the handbrake. They were accused by José Mourinho of playing 19th-century football at Stamford Bridge because of their unapologetic defensiveness and for much of the first 25 minutes, West Ham carried all the threat of a penny farthing. There were two sets of players on the pitch, a referee and a ball, but nothing happened. James Tomkins volleyed over, Gerhard Tremmel sliced a clearance out for a throw and that was about it.
But West Ham's opener after 27 minutes had a reassuringly familiar feel to it, a sense that everything was going to be fine after all, because Carroll and Nolan were back together again. George McCartney ran down the left and lifted a cross towards Carroll, who headed down for Nolan to control with his chest and then hammer a left-foot volley into the bottom-left corner from 15 yards. It was the kind of chance that Nolan, whose focus has been restored after recently serving a four-match suspension for a moronic red card at Fulham on New Year's Day, has been missing all season.
Swansea, who ended an eight-week wait for a win by beating Fulham on Wednesday, lacked spark. Their pace on the break caused occasional problems, however, and West Ham had an escape when Wilfried Bony went through on goal and was tackled from behind by James Tomkins. Howard Webb ruled that Tomkins's tackle was clean and while the direction of the ball suggested he was correct, replays were inconclusive.
Jonjo Shelvey then dragged a shot wide a minute later but Swansea could not live with Carroll, who was playing like a man possessed. Increasingly sharp, he displayed his growing confidence by twice shooting from distance and on the stroke of half-time, he harried Ashley Williams into conceding a needless corner on the right. Stewart Downing swung it to the far post, Carroll headed it back and Nolan headed it in from three yards out. It sounds simple and it was.
Then, 15 minutes into the second half, disaster. After Webb failed to award West Ham a free-kick when Chico clambered all over Carroll, the Swansea defender then fell to the ground as if he had been elbowed in the face, when in reality a stray arm had brushed the top of the head. Webb bought it and showed Carroll a red card. While it seemed petulant and unnecessary, Chico's play-acting did not help Carroll's cause.
That was the cue for West Ham to step into the time machine and drop deep, but for all Swansea's possession, they rarely threatened. The 10 men's indignation saw them over the line.
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