MATCH REPORT // LATE CARROLL STRIKE COMPLETES VICTORIOUS HAMMERS COMEBACK

By Warren Holmes

An Andy Carroll brace sealed a victorious West Ham United comeback against West Bromwich Albion at London Stadium, to kickstart their 2018 with three points. 

After the Hammers went into half-time 1-0 down, two Andy Carroll first levelled the scores in the 59th minute - nodding in an Aaron Cresswell cross, before finishing nicely from an acute angle late in stoppage time to send London Stadium into raptures.

David Moyes made two changes following the Hammers’ controversial 3-3 draw at Bournemouth,  Carroll making his first start since November 24, with Andre Ayew missing out. 

The West Ham manager made one more change as Winston Reid returned to the defence replacing James Collins, Reid took over the captains armband with Mark Noble only deemed fit enough to take his place on the bench. 

West Brom made four changes to the team that drew at the Hawthorns with Arsenal as Claudio Yacob, Grzegorz Krychowiak, James McClean and Salomon Rondon returned to the Baggies side.

The Hammers started the game looking the most threatening with the majority of the game being played in the Baggies half, however, a mix-up at the back left Rondon alone to try an audacious chip over Adrian, which landed on the roof of the net. 

Lanzini then replied with two great efforts, the first was a volley which looked destined to be heading into the net but for a great save by Foster, the next, an exquisite touch by the Argentine before his shot was parried away by the Baggies goalkeeper again.

On the half hour mark, West Brom took the lead through a James McClean effort which deflected off Pedro Obiang, looping over Adrian into the back of the net with the Baggies going into the interval 1-0 ahead.

The Hammers started the second-half brightest as Marko Arnautovic whipped a superb ball across the Baggies six-yard-box, Andy Carroll met it, but his effort blazed over the crossbar. 

The striker made up for that miss just minutes later as a trademark header beat Foster, after connecting to an Aaron Cresswell cross to end the striker’s goal drought. 

The Baggies looked to have taken the lead in the 75th minute as substitute Oliver Burke latched onto a through ball, what looked to be a one-on-one with Adrian turned into a phenomenal last ditch tackle from Angelo Ogbonna to clear the ball to safety. 

As the game looked to be over, the Hammers countered through Arnautovic. His sublime pass found Carroll, the big forward managing to put the ball past Foster from a tight angle to give West Ham a 2-1 lead, creating an electric atmosphere at the final whistle.