At least the disappointment was free

I'm glad that West Ham-Bolton was on Fox Soccer Channel and that I have a DVR, because I would have been even more ticked off than I was if I had had to drag myself out of bed early on a Sunday morning to watch that game. For the first time this season, West Ham gave away points that they were about to book, with a stoppage time goal leading to a 1-1 draw with a team sitting 19th on the table. West Ham remain at 11th.

The Hammers came out fairly well, at least. West Ham pressured Bolton from the kickoff, for the better part of 20 minutes. Midfielder Nolberto Solano triggered the corner kick that indirectly led to the first goal of the match with a nicely weighted deep ball down the center that lone striker Carlton Cole and a defender battled over. Eventually, the other defender knocked it over the byline for a corner, which Solano took. His ball into the box was knocked around a bit and came out to midfielder Lee Bowyer on the right corner of the 18-yard-box. His ball back in wasn't decisive either, but eventually it was knocked around to McCartney, who finished expertly with his weaker foot, the right, and knocked it home on the volley in the 19th minute. It was McCartney's first club goal in nearly 200 matches for Sunderland and West Ham. Ironically enough, he had missed a chance with his right foot during last week's League Cup tie away to Coventry City, and the BBC Radio announcers had noted that he hadn't scored a club goal and preferred shooting with his left foot.

Just a few minutes later, McCartney cleared off the line. The tide of the play turned that quickly, as Bolton were threatening an equaliser. The ball McCartney cleared was a shot that Lucas Neill had deflected up in the air. Bolton had the better of play for the last 25 minutes of the half. Kevin Davies, named Man of the Match by the Guardian, caused a lot of problems on the balls in the air near the edge of the box and inside it. Bolton would press that strategy even more in the second period.

Managers can never let injuries become an excuse, but West Ham added their 13th player to the injury list when midfielder Hayden Mullins came off in the 50th minute, replaced by Jonathan Spector. Injuries have pushed Spector out of his role as a backup full back and into midfield. Injuries also have left the Irons with just Cole and Henri Camara for strikers. Camara has not played much first-team football since coming on loan from Wigan Athletic, and it showed Sunday when he replaced Cole in the 72nd minute. Just a few moments earlier, midfielder Matthew Etherington sprung Cole for his best chance of the game with a nifty diagonal ball, but Cole couldn't beat Wanderers keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen. Cole looked a bit tired at times Sunday, but it's tough playing up front by yourself for the third time in nine days, even if Cole has rededicated himself to being fit, as manager Alan Curbishley mentioned last week after Cole's winner against Coventry.

In the 73rd minute, Davies headed smartly off a nice diagonal pass into the box, but the ball hit the top of the crossbar, fortunately. For a while, I could hope that that missed opportunity was the last that Bolton would get. Meantime, the Irons had a few more almost chances. Luis Boa Morte, playing on the right side, even though he prefers the left, had a chance to set up Etherington streaking in on goal, but the cross was terrible as Boa Morte tried to deliver it with his left. Etherington had to track down another pass from Boa Morte near the corner a moment later. Camara and Neill both clumsily played their way out of chances in the 89th minute. Curbishley said after the match that his charges should have been looking to run clock instead of going for the second goal. Spector had to clear off the line in stoppage time, and then the equaliser came in the 93rd minute, on yet another high ball into the box. Kevin Nolan slipped a half-volley past Robert Green after another bit of pinball in the box. Green seemed tentative for most of the match on dealing with the balls lofted into his area. We'll find out Friday if that tentativeness keeps him out of the England squad for two matches (one friendly, one Euro 2008 qualifier) on the next international break.

The annoying thing, besides the frustration of dropping two points by conceding a stoppage time goal, is that Bolton have been there for the taking so far this term. That was especially true Sunday as the Wanderers were missing Nicolas Anelka, their leading goal scorer, who would have been the best player on the pitch had he been healthy. After traveling to the East Midlands for Saturday's match, West Ham will see an increase in difficulty level after the international break: home to Tottenham, away to Chelsea and Blackburn and then Everton at Upton Park. It is somewhat unlucky that West Ham did not get to play Tottenham or Bolton when they were hapless, before they changed managers. The full three points are needed against Derby County on Saturday.