Stoke want to keep match-winner

West Ham 0 Stoke !

Stoke boss Tony Pulis admits that he is trying to keep on-loan match-winner Frazer Richardson at the club for at least another month.

Richardson, who is due to return to Barclaycard Premiership strugglers Leeds, netted the only goal against West Ham at Upton Park to end Stoke’s run of eight successive away defeats.

“We have already spoken to him and we would love to keep him and the decision will be taken in the next 24 hours.

“We have had disappointing results over the past couple of months. Our performances have not been too bad we are just not getting the results but tonight we are very pleased.

“I thought that we were solid. We signed Gerry Taggart. We have been looking for a centre-half for a long-time. He is a good old fashioned centre-half.

“I thought that we played some good football and it is three points, which is pleasing,” said Pulis.

Hammers boss Alan Pardew was furious his side wasted a chance to make an impression on the league leaders.

“We started poorly. We had a huge opportunity to go up the league and we were not at the races. We had too many players far from right.

“We had too many good players tonight put in sub-par performances and that is not good enough for this club.

“This team are on a bit of a knife edge at the moment because I need to get this club up and the players have to show me that they want to stay and play for this club.

“If the players don’t look right over the next two or three games I am going to have to make changes. I am fed up with talking now I want to see some action,” said Pardew.

Stoke started brightly with John Eustace firing wide of the target after seven minutes then Darel Russell’s 21st-minute effort narrowly cleared David James’ crossbar.

It took the Hammers 26 minutes to threaten the visitors’ goal when their first corner of the game saw Christian Dailly’s header go just over the bar.

The Hammers then saw David Connolly’s 31st-minute free-kick hit the outside of a post moments before Ade Akinbiyi beat Ian Pearce for pace to pull back for Richardson to finish.

Akinbiyi then wasted a chance to double his side’s lead after 55 minutes when he robbed Wayne Quinn, who tried to let the ball go out for a throw, but shot into the side netting.

Substitute Carl Asaba forced his way through the heart of the Hammers defence after 67 minutes and only a smart James block denied him.

The Hammers tried to find a way back into the game late on but never had enough to seriously trouble a well-marshalled Stoke backline.

The visitors could have doubled their lead nine minutes from time when Eustace grazed the top of the bar amid the home side’s late charge.