West Ham and Manchester City will have to do it all again after a goalless draw in their third round FA Cup clash.
Hammers and City face unwanted replay
West Ham and Manchester City will have to do it all again after a goalless draw in their third round FA Cup clash. Defences were on top at Upton Park as both sides cancelled each other out. Manchester City enjoyed the best of the first half with Robert Green denying Stephen Ireland and Anton Ferdinand blocking debutant Nery Castillo's close-range effort. Chances were few and far between in the second half meaning the two sides will meet in a replay at Eastlands to decide who will go through to the fourth round. Both sides concentrated their attacks down the respective left flanks, with Matthew Etherington and Martin Petrov heavily involved in an open first period. John Pantsil slipped the ball to Etherington who burst down the left flank and looked to pick out Hayden Mullins in the box, forcing Micah Richards into a last-ditch clearance.Shank
Carlton Cole's flick fell to Etherington on the edge of the City area but his left-footed volley was shanked wide. With all the attacking, open football on offer a goal seemed inevitable and City increasingly appeared likely to make the breakthrough. Mark Noble conceded possession carelessly in the West Ham half and Vedran Corluka chipped the ball towards midfielder Ireland in the box. Ireland opted to take his shot first time on the turn and could only hook his volley over the bar. Petrov steamed past Lucas Neill into the box and went down under a challenge from Ferdinand but referee Rob Styles waved away strong appeals for a penalty. City were then denied by a point-blank save from Green from Ireland, who latched onto Petrov's deep cross with a driven volley, which the Hammers goalkeeper touched over the bar. West Ham were creating opportunities themselves, with Joe Hart called on to produce an excellent near-post save from Etherington's low drive. Meanwhile, Petrov continued to be a constant threat down the left and he whipped another dangerous low ball towards Castillo. If Ferdinand had been lucky to escape censure for his early challenge on Petrov, he earned that good fortune with a magnificent last-ditch interception to deny the Mexican just six yards out. West Ham began the second half on the counter-attack again, earning another free-kick within striking distance but Ashton's drive was blocked easily by the City wall.Alert
Green was alert to race off his line and dive at Corluka's feet as the Croatian burst into the box. And the West Ham goalkeeper was forced to produce another athletic block to deny a fierce Ireland volley for the second time. Cole saw a volley disappear wide and when the ball fell to Spector in the box from a corner his first-time shot was lifted over the bar. Ashton got the ball caught under his feet inside the City area but then latched onto a cross from Kyel Reid and forced Hart to tip his header over the bar. Dunne scrambled back to get ahead of Ashton and clear Reid's cross for an injury-time corner which West Ham could not capitalise from. Cole challenged for the ball and West Ham appealed for handball and a penalty but there was no dramatic finish.| Team Name | West Ham United | Manchester City |
| Possession | 50% | 50% |
| Goals | 0 | 0 |
| Shots On Target | 4 | 2 |
| Shots Off Target | 9 | 4 |
| Blocked Shots | 3 | 2 |
| Corners | 10 | 7 |
| Fouls Conceded | 11 | 7 |
| Offsides | 1 | 0 |
| Yellow Cards | 0 | 1 |
| Red Cards | 0 | 0 |