Fixture - West Ham vs Sunderland

Match report

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Kevin Nolan's injury-time strike secured West Ham United a point and meant Sunderland drew their fourth consecutive Barclays Premier League match as the sides were locked at 1-1 at Upton Park.

Steven Fletcher's fourth goal in three matches had put Sunderland ahead and seemingly set them on the road to victory. West Ham had tried without reward until Matt Jarvis hooked the ball back to fellow substitute Modibo Maiga and Nolan beat goalkeeper Simon Mignolet with a shot on the turn. Nolan had already brought a magnificent save from Mignolet and missed an effort from close range before volleying the equaliser for his third goal of the campaign.

Sunderland took the lead after just nine minutes when Sebastian Larsson pounced on James Collins's scuffed clearance and lofted the ball back over his head for Fletcher, who had peeled away into space, to drill a low shot that Jussi Jaaskelainen got a hand on but could not keep out.

West Ham came close to an equaliser after 23 minutes when Nolan's shot on the turn was blocked and Matt Taylor turned the ball back in for Ricardo Vaz Te, whose far-post header was just wide. Mohamed Diame worked some space for himself on the edge of the box but shot wide before earning a free-kick that Nolan struck against the wall. Sunderland broke quickly and had a three-on-two advantage but James McClean decided to shoot from distance and it was easily saved.

Diame's quick feet drew another free-kick and Carlton Cole's flick-on fell to Mark Noble, who had his back to goal on the edge of the six-yard box and turned his shot just wide. Vaz Te then combined with Guy Demel to reach the byline and pick out Nolan, whose acrobatic volley was saved by Mignolet.

Allardyce eventually sent on Jarvis and Yossi Benayoun after 57 minutes and West Ham's attack was transformed. Jarvis was a constant thorn in Sunderland's side, running at opponents down the left and Craig Gardner was booked for a block but Cole headed wide from Noble's free-kick.

The former Wolverhampton Wanderers winger teed up Joey O’Brien for a shot that was saved by Mignolet and then caused more panic in the Sunderland box with another teasing cross which earned a corner. From Noble's delivery, Collins rose well but planted his header onto the bar and over. The visitors were still dangerous on the counterattack but Fletcher's left-foot shot flew over the bar.

In the fourth minute of added time, Sunderland's rearguard effort finally cracked. Noble launched the ball forward and Jarvis threw himself at it to just keep it from going out for a goal-kick. The England winger hooked it back to Maiga, who headed down to Nolan and the West Ham captain volleyed on the turn to beat Mignolet and earn a point.