Premiership: Gunners and Hammers level at half-time

West Ham 1, Arsenal 1 (half-time)

Arsenal levelled the scores within three minutes of West Ham going ahead in their Premiership clash at Upton Park.

Kanoute put the Hammers in front on 36 minutes but Ashley Cole - with his first of the season -levelled things three minutes later.

Two fouls in quick succession by Don Hutchinson on Patrick Vieira started the proceedings and the Frenchman soon retaliated by bringing down Michael Carrick.

Hammers pressed forward from the free kick and Carrick’s shot at the edge of the area was deflected for a corner.

Wiltord soon took up a position on Arsenal’s right but his backward pass to full-back Lauren saw the Cameroon player give the ball away to Paolo di Canio and only an alert tackle by Vieira saved Arsenal a nasty situation inside their area.

Arsenal’s neat, quick passing saw Robert Pires put Bergkamp away down the inside right channel but Thomas Repka cut out the Dutchman’s intended return pass to Pires, who had continued his run into the box.

Vieira was everywhere for Arsenal in the first 15 minutes and after tidying up a loose ball in defence was quickly up in attack to try a 25-yard shot that flew just a few feet wide although keeper David James appeared to have it covered.

It was bright and lively football by both sides, with West Ham just a little more direct in their approach.

And it almost paid dividends in the 14th minute when Joe Cole hustled Martin Keown into an error, driving an intended clearance straight at the young Hammer who pressed on into the area before shooting past the far post.

Arsenal were in trouble again when Lauren, looking uncomfortable against pace, pulled down Trevor Sinclair who had zipped past him onto Carrick’s smart pass in the 14th minute. The defender was rightly booked by referee Mike Riley but di Canio’s shot from the free kick flew straight into the grasp of keeper Taylor.

There was hesitation, too, between Keown and Taylor when the keeper looked a little slow coming out for a long ball forward and only gathered it at the second attempt with Kanoute lurking dangerously.

Carrick and Vieira were soon added to ref Riley’s bookings list but their offences looked fairly innocuous. Bergkamp pushing Joe Cole to the floor looked much more bookable but the Arsenal man escaped punishment.

Henry was receiving precious little service from midfield and decided to go it alone in the 24th minute, working a shooting position from himself but firing well off target.

At the other end, di Canio was caught marginally offside when bursting completely clear onto another penetrating pass by Carrick. It looked a very close call.

Taylor had to come out of his area and clear with a header when an Arsenal raid broke down and the ball was pumped forward towards Kanoute.

Then Vieira had to head away di Canio’s corner from under the bar with Taylor grounded following a collision in the six-yard box.

Bergkamp relieved the pressure on Arsenal with a long run down the left but having held off Sebastian Schemmel could not pick out a team-mate in the centre.

Tomas Repka became the latest to see the yellow card after disputing a throw-in award to Arsenal on the half-hour.

West Ham could not adequately clear Lauren’s long throw and the ball broke to Vieira whose 18-yard drive soared just over the bar.

The yellow card was out yet again when di Canio was booked for alleged diving as Hammers appealed frenziedly for a penalty as the Italian tumbled over Keown’s challenge which appeared to win the ball.

But just seconds later, in the next West Ham attack, Kanoute drilled them into a 36th minute lead, sweeping home Schemmel’s superb cut back from the right.

Three minutes later, though, Arsenal were level when Lauren crossed from the right, Henry helped the ball on to the far post and Ashley Cole volleyed into an empty net from a few yards out, completely unmarked, for his first goal of the season.