Boa Morte strikes to secure Hammers draw

LUIS Boa Morte scored on what could be his final appearance for West Ham as the Hammers brought their season to a close with an entertaining draw against Manchester City at Upton Park.

Boa Morte, making his first appearance of the season after months on the sidelines through injury, capped a fine move to chip home in the 17th minute, although the celebrations were short-lived as Shaun Wright-Phillips headed what would prove to be a decisive equalising goal just three minutes later.

Both teams fashioned a number of chances in what turned out to be an open game of football. However, the game began in somewhat predictable fashion, both sides struggling to motivate themselves for what was essentially a meaningless match.

After an inauspicious start, the game was sparked into life by the returning Boa Morte. Alessandro Diamanti, operating in a more effective position floating behind the front two, ghosted along the back line and, just when it seemed he would be crowded out by a cluster of defenders, the Italian executed a sublime back heel that evaded a bundle of City legs and fell into the path of the Portuguese forward. He took a touch, steadied himself, and cleverly dinked the ball over the advancing Marton Fulop to give the Hammers a 17th minute lead.

The game quickly opened up and within three minutes the visitors were level. Adam Johnson had looked threatening in the opening exchanges and he was at the heart of the equaliser. The midfielder, who must be a strong outside bet for place in Fabio Capello's World Cup squad, worked his way to the byline and stood up an excellent cross to the back post, where Wright-Phillips was waiting to leap and head the ball past Robert Green and into the far corner of the net.

Just a minute later and Johnson was at it again, jinking his way between two Hammers defenders before being brought crashing to ground by a challenge by Matthew Upson. Referee Howard Webb waved away the City appeals but replays suggested the England centre-half had taken a lot more of the man than he did the ball.

West Ham, realising they had nothing to lose and everything to gain, seemed to excel without the weight of expectation and the looming threat of relegation, Carlton Cole going close after getting on the end of a good cross from Julien Faubert.

Diamanti, who was enjoying one of his finest performances in a West Ham shirt, skirted along the back line once again and found a yard of space, dummying inside to let rip with a right-footed shot from 20 yards that grazed the post. Having been isolated on many an occasion out on the wing, it was perhaps ironic that Diamanti was most effective when manager Gianfranco Zola decided to experiment on the final day of the season.

Up the other end, Emmanuel Adebayor held the ball up before squaring for an unmarked Pablo Zabaleta to scamper on to, although the Argentine's first-time shot posed more danger to the fans in the Bobby Moore Stand than Green in the West Ham goal.

On the stroke of half-time Adebayor found himself bearing down on goal after collecting a precise through ball from Johnson, but Green was up to the task, palming the ball behind.

After the break Faubert again picked out a good cross which Cole met but his header fell wide of the post.

Diamanti, perhaps suffering from a rush of blood to the head, tried an audacious acrobatic volley with his back to goal, but the effort bobbled harmlessly towards Fulop.

West Ham were enjoying a strong spell, and Scott Parker instigated another attack, bursting forward on a typical run from midfield. His attempted pass was misdirected but the ball took a deflection and ran into the path of Ilan, who scampered through on goal but was quickly met by the onrushing Fulop.

A weary-looking Cole was withdrawn on the hour, to be replaced by Guillermo Franco, while Junior Stanislas came on for the impressive Boa Morte, who had enjoyed an excellent return from a season-long injury lay-off.

The biggest ovation of the day, however, arrived when former Hammers hero Carlos Tevez first warmed up and then was introduced by Roberto Mancini.

The forward, who was so instrumental in keeping West Ham up three seasons ago, almost struck against his old employers, but his first touch from an Adebayor pass was too heavy, and his attempted scoop over Green fell on top of the net.

The game remained an open contest, but there was little in the way of goalmouth action.

Jordan Spence was given his first outing of the season, coming on to play on the right side of the back four for Diamanti.

Tevez ended the game in a West Ham shirt and was given more of an ovation than the rest of the home players as the fans stayed to applaud the team long after the final whistle.