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Ashton takes advantage of Samba error

90 + 3 - ALL OVER: West Ham secure the points in a great game. Curbishley will be able to sleep easily tonight. Sears has earned the win in fairytale fashion. Thanks for your comments Samantha and Daniel. Danny H and Tom also support you. Stay with Skysports.com for the post-match reaction.

90 + 2 - Hanging on: West Ham are hanging on, but they have a throw in to ease pressure.

90 - Added time: There will be three minutes added time.

89 - Substitution: McCarthy comes on for Pedersen.

87 - Substitution: Ljungberg makes way for Paintsil as West Ham shut up shop

85 - Almost spoke too soon: Roberts shrugs off two West Ham defenders to shoot at goal but Green saves brilliantly with a strong hand.

81 - GOAL!!! Fairytale stuff as Friedel can only palm a shot from Ashton for home grown talent Sears to dive in and head home from close range. What a way to start his career. It looks like the Hammers have won it.

80 - Booking: Ferdinand is booked for a bit of back chat to the referee's assistant.

77 - Pat on the back: Daniel has just given me a shout to support Samantha. He is also delighted to see Ashton hitting the back of the net again, but thinks West Ham should be doing better as they have a stronger squad this season. Is he right?

75 - Double Substitution: Parker makes way for Noble and Sears comes on Solano.

74 - Booking: Reid is shown a yellow card for a two-footed challenge on Ljunberg. A nasty tackle and a deserved booking.

72 - Substitution: Blackburn are going for bust as they replace Dunn, who looks like he has a bit of a knock, with forward Matt Derbyshire. IF Dunn is injured, that will be the midfielder and Emerton who have aggravated injuries after returning from lay-offs. Has Hughes rushed them back?

68 - Wise words: Samantha has got in touch to support Curbishley. She says that, in comparison with last season, West Ham are doing well. When you consider that at this time last season the Hammers were 10 points away from safety, Samantha has hit the nail on the head and it is good to hear such loyalty. Thanks for keeping me company.

66 - Up for grabs: The game is really stretched now and it is a question of who has the quality to snatch the win as the rain begins to fall over East London and Blackburn win a corner.

64 - Well read: Reid reads Ljunberg's cross like a book, and not a good book either, as he comfortably steps in to clear the danger. Top notch defending.

62 - To tight to call: These are two very closely matched teams and I do not have a clue which way this is going, but my sense tell me there is going to be another goal.

59 - Terrible: Pedersen latches on to a loose ball in the box but smashes miles over the bar. Watch out row Z. That was a bad miss.

58 - Better stuff: West Ham are passing nicely and are on top at the moment.

55 -Tiger Woods would blush: Brad Freidel shanks a back-pass to award West Ham a corner. The air shoot would make any golfer blush, but Friedel escapes as he claims the resulting corner.

52 - Nice: Neill makes Bentley look a little foolish as he beats his man with a cunning drop of the shoulder. Neill does not always get the credit he deserves for play like that due to his bruising reputation.

50 - No: Ljunberg's cross just has a little bit too much on it and the ball drifts out of play. Both sides have reverted to a bit of the old long ball stuff at the minute. More passing please.

49 - Slow start: Things have begun in a quiet fashion, but Blackburn have an attacking throw in. Can they take advantage?

47 - WE'RE BACK: The second half is under way. The sense of unrest around Upton Park has changed to hope, but Blackburn will still be eyeing their first away win over West Ham in 14 years.

Half-time change: Emerton has made way for Zurab Khizanishvili. The Australian did not look fit and has aggravated his groin problem.

45 + 2 - HALF-TIME: An entertaining half comes to a close. Curbishley will be delighted to see his side back in the contest, while Hughes will be frustrated to say the least. Things are set up nicely for the second half. Remember it is Peter.Fraser@bskyb.com if you want to let me know your opinion on the game.

45 - Added time: There will be two minutes added time.

45 - Danger: Solano fouls Pedersen and gives Blackburn a free-kick on the left corner of the box, but Bentley hits out of play.

44 - Confidence: It's amazing what a difference a goal makes as Ashton now looks a much more comfortable player as he blasts at goal from 30 yards.

39 - Just what was required: With half-time approaching that was just what the game needed. Dunn, who by the way was booked just before the goal for crunching Solano, is berating Samba for getting the wrong side of Ashton. It was bad defending, but I'd pick on someone your own size if I was you David.

39 - GOAL WEST HAM!!! Zamora flicks on and Ashton shrugs off Samba to dink past Friedel. Game on.

37 - Almost: Bentley lashes an air shot at the ball, but Blackburn eventually clears.

36 - Best chance: Solano takes a free-kick and Friedel tips over. Can they make the corner count?

34 - All quiet on the West Ham front: That is apart from the fans. The home support's silence is turning to moans and groans. The ball is not sticking to Ashton in attack and Blackburn are revelling in the atmosphere.

31 - All a bit flat: Things have gone a bit quite. West Ham do not look capable of breaking Blackburn down. Hughes' side are putting in a thoroughly professional away day performance. Upton Park has fallen very quiet. The fans are on the edge.

28 - Lacking confidence: Ashton looks a man short of fitness and self-belief as he blazes an optimistic effort over the bar. There are a few fists being shaken in frustration behind the goal. What can West Ham do to change things?

27 - England issues: Bentley's corners are delivered flat and at pace and they are impossible for Green to intercept. The Blackburn winger looks a good bet to be in Capello's starting XI for the friendly with France on 26th March.

25 - Keep counting: Blackburn rack up another corner as Bentley drives to the dead ball line and crosses to result in Neill having to head behind.

23 - Great save: Ashton meets a fine cross from Zamora, but the ever reliable Blackburn goalkeeper Friedel saves the header. Excellent stop considering he has not had a thing to do so far.

21 - Booking: Parker plays a nice one-two with Solano and the former is brought down by Parker. That looks a little harsh. It was a foul, but did not deserve a booking. Bentley can't believe it.

19 - GOAL BLACKBURN!!! Rovers break as Pedersen sneaks in down the left and crosses for Santa Cruz to head in. What did I say about Blackburn breaking? And where was Ferdinand when he should have been marking Santa Cruz.

16 - Another corner: West Ham appear to enjoy set play anxiety as Spector nods behind for another corner and Samba heads narrowly over. That was the best chance of the game and Samba should have done better.

14 - Green dilemma: the goalkeeper was knocking on the England door over at the beginning of the season, but he must be wondering what has happened after shipping 12 goals in three games. Should England manager Fabio Capello give him a call? Let me know at Peter.Fraser@bskyb.com.

12 - Two in a row: West Ham look a little nervy at set pieces after letting in two against Spurs as they concede two corners in a row. Green makes a hash of punching the first clear, but claims the second calmly.

10 - You better watch out, you better beware: Santa Cruz is giving Ferdinand a torrid afternoon and we've only played 10 minutes. It could be a long match for the Hammers centre-back.

8 - Excellent move: Blackburn break from the back as Emerton's far post cross just has too much on it for Pedersen. West Ham will have to wary of Rovers' counter-attacking threat and Pedersen in particular has found his shooting boots in recent weeks.

6 - Good start: My gut instinct that this would be a good game appears to have been right on the money as the match has begun in a lively end-to-end fashion. More of the same please.

5 - Green fingers: Hammers goalkeeper Green saves Ferdinand, who again loses Santa Cruz at a Bentley free-kick, as he intercepts. Ferdinand has not had the best of starts.

3 - Early corner: Santa Cruz, who is deadly in the air, loses Ferdinand at an early corner and heads just wide at the near post. Ferdinand has a habit of losing concentration.

1 - On the front foot: It is going to be important how West Ham start the game to avoid getting their home fans on their back. And the home side have started on the front foot as Ashton chases a long ball, but Ooijer hoofs clear.

KICK-OFF: West Ham get the game going. Curbishley might be struggling for sleep, but let's not hope for a Premier League snooze-fest this afternoon. I'm looking forward to this one.

Blackburn team: Brad Friedel, Christopher Samba, Andre Ooijer, Stephen Warnock, Brett Emerton, David Bentley, Steven Reid, David Dunn, Morten Gamst Pedersen, Jason Roberts, Roque Santa Cruz. Subs: Matt Derbyshire, Benni McCarthy, Aaron Mokoena, Zurab Khizanishvili, Jason Brown.

West Ham team: Robert Green, Lucas Neill, Anton Ferdinand, Jonathan Spector, George McCartney, Nolberto Solano, Scott Parker, Hayden Mullins, Freddie Ljunberg, Dean Ashton, Bobby Zamora. Subs: Fred Sears, Mark Noble, James Tomkins, John Paintsil, Richard Wright.

Kick-off approaches: Curbishley has confessed he has been struggling to sleep following three consecutive 4-0 thrashings. But Blackburn will not be hoping to rock their opponents off to the land of nod as they have an eye on Europe. What will the outcome be? If you want to get in touch, drop me a line at Peter.Fraser@bskyb.com.

Blackburn team news: Boss Mark Hughes has replaced Benni McCarthy with Jason Roberts in attack. David Dunn comes in for Tugay in midfield, while Brett Emerton has returned from a groin complaint.

West Ham team news: Luis Boa Morte is suspended and so Nolberto Solano has replaced him in midfield, but boss Alan Curbishley has otherwise kept the same team as last week's defeat at Tottenham. There is, however, no place on the bench for striker Carlton Cole. Youngsters James Tomkins and Freddie Sears are among the substitutes.

Welcome to Skysports.com's live commentary of the Premier League clash between West Ham and Blackburn at Upton Park.