Greeny News

• Click F5 or turn on our automatic tool for the latest updates
• Send emails to jacob.steinberg.casual@guardian.co.uk
• Sign up to receive our free football email The Fiver

90 mins + 3: It's headed away and that's it. Lee Mason blows for full-time and it's a point apiece, which is probably the right result.

90 min + 2: Rory Delap has just dropped the ball on to the edge of the West Ham box with a throw-in from the halfway line. West Ham make their second change, Luis Boa Morte replacing live Obinna. It 'one more shot at Delap, though ...

90 min: When will West Ham learn? This time Gabbidon runs the ball out for a throw-in when he could have simply cleared the ball. Delap's throw-in is cleared. Parker's attempt to counterattack is halted, and the ball comes to Etherington, whose misdirected cross nearly catches out Green, who palms the ball over the bar for a corner. Shawcross heads over.

89 min: It's starting to look like a point apiece here...

87 min: Now this is weird. Delap's throw-in was easily collected by Green, who looked to immediately set West Ham on the attack with a swift kick up field. Unfortunately the ball, hit pretty hard, flew into the back of the unsuspecting Shawcross's head and rebounded back towards West Ham's area. Luckily they escape, while Shawcross has been floored, probably from the surprise. Glenn Whelan has replaced the injured Pennant.

85 min: Interestingly Victor Obinna seems to be two-footed. For West Ham's goal, his free-kick was taken with his left foot, but now he uses his right to get the ball in the box. The ball dropped just outside the box, and there was a sharp intake of breath as Parker closed in on it, but his shot was wild and flew well wide. One of those that looked, just for a moment, as if it was going into the top corner, but in reality was always destined for the stands.

83 min: Parker, who has given another rambunctious display is down after a heavy tackle by Collins, who is booked. And, to his credit, acknowledges his misdeed.

81 min:

79 min: More careful, precise passing by West Ham nearly leads to an opportunity for Parker, but Obinna's lay-off to him is far too hard, rebounding into the midfielder's hand, and a free-kick to Stoke is given. Not that it would have mattered, as Parker blazed the ball well over anyway.

76 min: That was criminally wasteful by Obinna. After an ill-judged flick from Delap, West Ham broke dangerously and at pace. With options left and right, he made the wrong choice, sending a comically awful left-footed shot well wide from thirty yards out. Choices, choices.

74 min: On a couple of occasions West Ham have been utterly careless with their distribution, giving Stoke throw-ins in attacking positions. Now Parker's volleyed pass is far too heavily hit for Gabbidon to reach. Luckily Piquionne heads Delap's humdinger away.

73 min: You hate to see this happen. Eidur Gudjohnsen has been waiting to come on for the past few minutes, but there hasn't been a stoppage of play. Finally, however, play is stopped, and Gudjohnsen comes on for Jones, who can be satisfied with his work for the afternoon. Now, this is an entirely different proposition for West Ham to counter.

70 min: Finally West Ham come into it. They've taken their time. Neat interplay by Cole and Piquionne nearly leads to an opening but Shawcross gets in the way. The ball squirted away to Obinna, whose bouncing right foot volley was pushed aside for a corner by Sorensen. West Ham worked it short and Noble's cross to the far post was headed towards the near post by Da Costa, but again Sorensen prevented the visitors from regaining their lead, diving to push the divert the ball away.

68 min: Lovely play by Jermaine Pennant. He won the race with Noble to reach the free ball before deceiving Parker, as he continued to shoot. Instead, he shuffled inside before chipping a delightful pass to Jones, whose header beat Green and clunked on the bar. Fortunately for West Ham, Jones was offside.

67 min: With Fuller on, West Ham might consider making a change of their own. Their front three have been anonymous in the second half, with Carlton Cole particularly dismal, slow in mind and body, as he has been all season.

66 min: Ricardo Fuller is on, Jon Walters is off.

64 min: West Ham dominated the midfield in the first half but since Stoke's goal, they have been thoroughly second best. Their passing is sloppy and they cannot afford to do that against Stoke, who are snapping into challenges with considerably intensity.

63 min:Ricardo Fuller is preparing to come over Stoke, a signal of his intention. He scored the winning goal for Stoke at Upton Park last season.

59 min: Green isn't the only West Ham player who's bringing his World Cup form into the equation. Matthew Upson's defending is putrid here. Chasing a long ball with Jones, he appeared to have the situation under control, calming the danger. Instead he was bustled off the ball by Jones, who cut into the area and hammered a shot that Green tipped on to the post. Great play by Jones, dismal by Upson.

57 min: Sometimes footballers are so foolish. Parker was in a tricky situation facing his own goal, and seemingly with no option but to put the ball out for a corner. As he turned away, Walters tripped him, which is precisely what Parker wanted him to do and West Ham get a free-kick when they could have been defending a corner.

56 min: As you'd expect Stoke are all over West Ham now, the visitors unable to hold on to the ball for more than a few passes. Pennant finds space to cross again, but it was too high for Walters.

52 min: Behrami seems to have injured his knee ligaments and his mixed bag of an afternoon appears to be over. The clunking midfielder Radoslav Kovac replaces him, a retrograde step for West Ham.

51 min: West Ham are down to ten for the corner, Behrami limping off for more treatment after going down again. The corner drifts away harmlessly.

49 min: Suddenly rampant, Stoke are on the attack again and Etherington's shot is deflected over by Jacobsen.

GOAL! Stoke 1-1 West Ham (Jones, 48 min) Well that didn't last long, and it was more iffy goalkeeping by Green. Pennant was released by Walters on the right, and, with Gabbidon absent, dug out a decent cross to the far post. It was a fine delivery, but surely not enough to deceive Green who, in any case, flapped at the ball, and there was Jones at the far post to equalise with a simple header from a yard out. Precisely the start to the second half West Ham didn't want.

47 min:What 's throw-in account? Stoke started as they mean to go on, but Parker cleans with Delap 'roll. with West Ham attempted to stop the gap in the Hat 's foul on Behrami, who, with' stayed down, clutching his left leg. It 's probably good.

46 min: We're back. Can West Ham hold on? Or will Stoke pull off a repeat of their second half comeback against Aston Villa on Monday? I bet you can't wait to find out.

"West Ham had five men in the six yard box when they scored," says Gary Naylor. "I'm not sure I have ever seen so many attacking players so close to the opponent's goal. Why didn't Stoke just clear out? The dodgy keeper is at the other end." They've both been dodgier than the feed I'll be using to watch this afternoon's games on (without success). Sorensen has been extremely tentative today. Asmir Begovic is wanted by Chelsea, yet sits on the bench for Stoke. That's mysterious.

"If you look at this West Ham team, they shouldn't be anywhere near the relegation places come the end of the season," says Sam Zakowski. "Upson had an extremely bad World Cup, but so did John Terry, and he'll captain of the champions at the end of the season. A midfield that contains Parker and Behrami is surely not the 18th best midfield in the league? Comfortably mid-table in that department. Carlton Cole, for all his faults and injuries, is also very useful up front. People have written off West Ham after only three games. Maybe a tad early, don't you think?" West Ham have been written off early for each of the last three seasons, but they always seem to avoid the drop eventually. That said, they should have gone down last season. My word, they were dreadful.

Half-time and West Ham hold a deserved lead. "Do you think the charming directors at West Ham would have appointed someone else as manager had they known that Uncle Avram couldn't be on the bench today shouting "Track back!" at Mark Noble every five minutes?" says Gary Naylor. "Of course they wouldn't have appointed (say) Alan Pardew - because Uncle Avram was the best man for the job. I like him - he knows his football, conducts himself well and shows just enough fire to reveal the steel behind the avuncular exterior."

46 min+ 2: The home crowd have been baying for free-kicks with increasing frequency when Upson and Da Costa have challenged Jones and Walters. Mason has mostly ignored the cries, but this time awards the free-kick. Etherington curls it in, there's a bit of head tennis, and then Da Costa nearly takes Huth's head off with a overhead clearance. Technically you could argue that should be a penalty.

45 min: Dean Whitehead is booked for a late tackle on Parker. There will be no less than 2 minutes of added things.

44 min: Late pressure from Stoke, but Jacobsen does well to stop Walters to get his head on the Pennant with 'dinked cross. The ball is put back into the area of West Ham, but Lee Mason blows for a foul on Jones Upson.

42 min: That was nearly delightful from Mark Noble. West Ham were allowed to play the ball around just outside Stoke's area. Piquionne came inside before playing the ball to Noble, who deftly slipped away from Whitehead before attempting to release the ball for Obinna. The execution was just too hard, otherwise Obinna would have had an excellent chance of doubling West Ham's lead.

40 min: If you're not watching this game, you might find this hard to believe - Robert Green has just caught For a long punt up field. It 's really caught one. Held it too. Return to.

39 min: "Just noticed in your preamble a reference to Stoke's difficult opening fixtures - have you checked who West Ham have played in their opening four games," asks Matt. "Villa, Chelsea, Man Utd... Alright, losing at home to Bolton wasn't clever but they weren't exactly favourites to be top of the table after four games, eh?" You are, of course, correct. Anyway back to the action, Noble's bender was easily held by Sorensen before Cole becomes the latest player to be booked for a foul on Collins.

37 min: Some comical defending by Da Costa, who trapped the ball further than I can kick it, gifting Stoke a throw-in. And we know what that means - Delap's throw is right into the middle of the goal, and Jones should score with a free header from no more than three yards out. Instead he heads the ball miles over the bar.

34 min: And that was so nearly two! The goal has lifted West Ham's approach immeasurably, and Piquionne cut inside from the left, before curling a delightful effort towards the top corner. Sorensen needn't have gone for it, but the ball smacked off the frame of the bar.

GOAL! Stoke 0-1 West Ham (Parker 32 min): It was going to take a set-piece for the breakthrough to come and it's arrived in slightly farcical circumstances. Behrami won a free-kick on the right touchline. Obinna curled in a dangerous ball into Stoke six-yard box, allowing Cole and Upson to cause havoc for the home side. The ball dropped towards the line, but Delap was on hand to hack clear - only for his attempted clearance to smack Shawcross in the face and rebound down for Parker to smash the ball into the net.

30 min: West Ham are containing Stoke with relative ease. And vice versa. Nothing's really happening. A lot of huff and puff. West Ham are doing well until they get the ball into Stoke's half. Stoke are getting little out of West Ham's two centre-backs, and Etherington and Pennant have been unable to find Jones with their crosses.

28 min:Left Piquionne shows the power and skill to blast past Hoot, which brings down the striker. It 's kind of good to play West Ham demands but noble' s grim kick, right on the first man, is not.

26 min: Neither side seems able to aim with the game so far. It 'is going to take a number of parts for their separation. West Ham had 57% possession, but did little with it. They re 'lack of ideas, as soon as they receive in-a-half Stoke'.

24 min: This is a scrappy, niggly game, and Behrami is involved in most of the tedious little skirmishes. This time he's on the end of some of the rough stuff, and Delap is booked.

23 min: Cole's turn and shot from just outside the area is, again, straight down the throat of Sorensen.

22 min:And from a free-kick, he 's another chance for Stoke - and, one might say, ill miss Jones. Pennant had a free-kick, this time trying to go for goal. His low effort is arranged through the wall and fell to Jones, 12 yards out. On the rebound, a left-footed shot goes high and wide. He should have got it on target at least.

21 min:West Ham are rocking a little here, and Behrami is booked for his third foul on so many minutes, this time Pennant.

19 min: And Green nearly gifts Stoke the opener! He really is a bag of nerves at the moment, making mistake after costly mistake. Pennant's free-kick was whipped in with pace and Shawcross's run in front of Green seemed to put the goalkeeper off - what should have been a regulation catch was fumbled to his left, and Huth, sliding in smacked the ball against the post. Green needs to sort himself out.

18 min: Walters is down getting treatment after being chopped down by Behrami - in fact, he's limping off for more of the magic sponge. Anyway, it's a free-kick to Stoke, to be taken by Pennant.

16 min: On second viewing, Obinna's volley was deflected by Shawcross's outstretched hand. That could well have been a penalty for West Ham, and Stoke can count themselves a little bit lucky.

14 min: Sorensen looks nervy today. A long clearance from Robert Green should be dealt with by either Shawcross or Sorensen, the defender eventually taking evasive action as his goalkeeper shows yet more indecision and the ball slices away for another corner. Eventually Obinna's decent left-footed volley from the edge of the area is deflected straight into the arms of Sorensen.

13 min: Yup, Delap's throw is headed away. Throw. Head. Throw. Head. Throw. Head. This is sophisticated stuff.

12 min: ... which is delayed after some fun and games between Robert Huth and Valon Behrami. After a brief wait, the corner is headed away by Cole at the near post. For another throw...

11 min: Another throw for Delap, which West Ham defended well, only to see the ball roll out for a corner, this time on the left...

10 min: The first shot in anger comes from West Ham, as Cole barges his way through a couple of challenges, before screwing a lamentable left-footed effort well wide from 25 yards out. Immediately Stoke attack, Pennant running at Gabbidon again, this time winning a corner. Matthew Etherington's inswinger causes disquiet, but Piquionne heads away.

8 min: A nervous moment for Thomas Sorensen in the Stoke goal, who came to collect Mark Noble's corner, gained after Pennant put Behrami's cross behind. Sorensen was nowhere near it though, and was grateful to see Shawcross head the ball away before West Ham could take advantage. For some reason, he decides to bawl out Shawcross, who surely took appropriate action.

6 min: Jones is a handful and is so far winning the aerial duel with Upson and Da Costa. He dominates Da Costa here, before spraying the ball to the right for Pennant, but Gabbidon blocked his cross, giving Delap the first chance to wind up one of those fearsome throws. Nothing doing though, despite Faye getting his head on the ball.

4 min: The game is settling into a pattern that you might have expected, West Ham comfortable in possession in midfield but so far incapable of finding a killer pass when they need to take the ball forward. Stoke seem happy to let them stroke the ball around in harmless areas, but they are very tough to break down. West Ham haven't won an away game since the first game of last season. A win here would do nicely.

2 min: West Ham are playing a front three today of Carlton Cole, Frederic Piquionne and Victor Obinna, who was very impressive against Chelsea last week, if a little wayward with his finishing. The Nigerian moved to the left, teasing Robert Huth before crossing, but Faye hooked the ball away.

Peep! We're off, Stoke getting us underway and kicking from right to left. There's a typically boisterous atmosphere as you'd expect. Jermaine Pennant tries to get Jonathan Walters in behind the West Ham defence, but the ball's too long and runs out for a goal-kick.

Sky have pointed out that West Ham have been to the Britannia Stadium twice. I'll point out that they've only been there twice in the Premier League, but actually went there twice in the Championship. The state of it.

Alan Pardew is in the Sky studio today. It's good to see him doing media work again.

The relevant e-mail on matters of faith: "I wonder how many of the people slating Avram for his non-attendance will be volunteering to work on Christmas day this year?" points out Tom Cuell. "Having said that, I am a Stoke fan, so I'm very opposed to Ben Haim's decision to sit this one out." Well?

Anyway this should neatly explain Avram's stance: he doesn't roll on Shabbos.

West Ham will be managed by Paul Groves and Kevin Keen today by the way. Grant has travelled but will spend the day in prayer. Did he walk?

Even this early in the season, this might have been billed as a relegation six-pointer, but for Stoke's victory over Aston Villa on Monday. Until then they were matching West Ham stride for stride, in the manner of the fat kids at school forced to wheeze their way through the cross-country, on zero points. It must be pointed out, however, that before their comeback against Villa two of their three games had been against Chelsea and Tottenham, and the other was away to a tough Wolves side. They look set for another decent season, probably a mid-table finish.

Stoke are good at what they do. They're not great to watch, but they're superbly organised, tough, physical and exceedingly dangerous from set-pieces. That said, if Kenwyne Jones retains his focus, they will start to be far more menacing in open play, perhaps even more so if Eidur Gudjohnsen fancies turning up. On the face of it, he doesn't appear to be a player who can fit seamlessly into Stoke's side, but perhaps he will provide them with a little more variety and intelligence, even if I do think Tony Pulis has signed him because the only worthwile thing he did in a Tottenham shirt last season was against Stoke.

a lotcrosses.

Modern football is jiggered, part XIV: You'll notice a distinct lack of Kieron Dyer in the West Ham line-up. He reportedly refused to travel to Stoke after being named on the bench again, telling Grant that if he's fit enough to be a sub, he's fit enough to start. You'd have some sympathy for him if he'd managed to feature for the full 90 minutes in any game since 2007.

Teams? Teams:

Stoke: Sorensen; Huth, Shawcross, Faye, Collins; Pennant, Delap, Whitehead, Etherington; Walters, Jones. Warnings: Begovic, Higginbotham, Whelan, Gudjohnsen, Fuller, Wilson, Wilkinson.

West Ham: Green; Jacobsen, Da Costa, Upson, Gabbidon; Behrami,
Parker, Noble; Obinna, Piquionne, Cole. Subs: Stech, Tomkins, Barrera, Boa Morte, Kovac, McCarthy, Faubert.

Referee:Lee Mason (Lancashire)

In the red and white corner: Javelin refugee Rory Delap.

In the claret and blue corner:Britain 's Robert Green.

We all know how this one's going to end up, don't we?

Hello: You don't need to be Alanis Morissette - in fact, you never need to be Alanis Morissette - to appreciate the potential irony on offer today. Rain on your wedding day, you presume? No. Ten thousand spoons when all you need is a knife? Wrong, that's not ironic. West Ham, after four defeats in their first four games, winning their first points of the season when Avram Grant is off atoning and fasting and gallivanting on Yom Kippur? Bingo!

This is a no-win situation for Grant, but then he's already managed Portsmouth. He's used to that. The Israeli strikes me as an unlucky manager, one who's difficult to pin down conclusively. You can judge his time at Chelsea in one of two ways: either he was mightily unfortunate not to win the league and the Champions League, or he was a shambling chancer who blew their title hopes, allowing the senior players to run the team. Unless you were on the training ground every day, it's difficult to choose (but those who were tend to report the latter). And then at Portsmouth, he had to deal with a points deduction and the boardroom shenanigans at Fratton Park, but his side still finished bottom. And just how much can you read into an FA Cup run these days?

So if West Ham lose today, he will be derided and criticised for a supposed dereliction of duty. If they win (which they won't) then questions will be raised over his influence, particularly if they were to lose to Tottenham next week when he does return. As my name might suggest, I'm slightly biased when it comes to this subject. No, Grant doesn't observe the Sabbath every week, but Yom Kippur is the holiest of holy days for Jews. It's a 25-hour fast - no food, no drink - and you're not meant to do anything but go to synagogue and atone for your 'sins' over the past year. Grant has said that he's doing this partly out of respect for his parents, who are Holocaust survivors, and it's also important to factor in his reputation in Israel, where there were calls for Deportivo's Israeli goalkeeper, Dudu Aouate, to be banned when he played on Yom Kippur. What's more important - your faith, your country, your principles, your family ... or Stoke away? If it meant more to me, I know which I'd choose.