West Ham United 1 Stoke City 1: match report Until Allardyce galvanised his players at the break, Stoke had dominated. The move that had led to Walters" fine 12th-minute strike brimmed with finesse, a swift counter-attack panicking George McCartney into conceding a corner. The pain intensified from the set-piece, cleverly worked by Stoke, but also involving some illegal blocking to allow Walters his free run. As Walters broke away from McCartney's domain at the far-post, Adam responded as if preparing for the NBA draft, ensuring that McCartney could not follow Walters" run. Walters bent his run around the grappling pairs, timing his arrival perfectly to meet Glenn Whelan's cutback from the corner-flag with a ferocious first-time strike that Carroll failed to cut out. The Bobby Moore Stand looked on in a mixture of anger and disbelief, depending on whether they had spotted Adam's surreptitious screening. Walters was wheeling away, celebrating with Adam and company as the Stoke fans launched into 'Delilah. For 45 minutes, Tony Pulis" side were sharper, hungrier, far more threatening. From a Matthew Etherington corner, Crouch was denied by Jussi Jaaskelainen. A ripple of unease filtered through the home fans. Their team responded. Mohamed Diamé embarked on a promising run. Nolan was thwarted by Asmir Begovic, whose apparent time-wasting angered West Ham. Allardyce then went into meltdown when Chris Foy ignored Geoff Cameron's rather obvious push on Carroll. The offence was just on the edge of Stoke's area, an inviting location so Allardyce's livid countenance was understandable. Even his contribution to Movember bristled. Surprisingly, West Ham remained in second gear until the second half and Stoke looked the likelier to update the scoreline as the first half closed. Nzonzi connected with a half-volley that almost snapped the West Ham bar. Nolan's evening almost ended just before the break, following a challenge from Ryan Shotton. Nolan hobbled on, making the interval, and leading West Ham back out 15 minutes later a totally revitalised force. Sensing their players" new mood, West Ham fans instantly urged them on. McCartney delivered a superb cross from the left that Nolan narrowly failed to turn past Begovic. Back they came again, equalising three minutes after the restart. Diamé nudged the ball right for the increasingly influential Gary O'Neil to cross low and hard into the box. O'Brien, not noted as one of the game's great penalty-box predators, responded like a skilled poacher, turning the ball in. Back came West Ham again, now chasing the lead and only Whelan's positioning and reflexes kept out Maiga's shot. Then O'Neil drilled the ball in, prompting some desperate defending to keep the ball out. Stoke sought to relieve the pressure. Walters broke inside from the right and fired over. Still Upton Park seethed with frustration at what they deemed Begovic's tardiness at taking goal-kicks or free kicks. Allardyce made a change, removing the goalscorer O'Brien for Guy Demel. His team still looked the more assertive and Diamé stabbed a shot wide. Still West Ham pushed on. Demel shot wide. Nolan continued to drop deep and scheme and then race forward. Carlton Cole then sprinted on, replacing Carroll, who looked less than impressed at being withdrawn. He marched straight to the subs" seats, shaking his head occasionally and then throwing his arms when finally sitting down. West Ham kept charging forward with McCartney again to the fore, sliding in another good cross from the left which Begovic managed to get a foot to. West Ham (4-2-3-1) Jaaskelainen; O'Brien (Demel 77), Reid, Tomkins, McCartney; Diame, Noble; O'Neil, Nolan, Maiga (Taylor 86); Carroll (Cole 86). Subs: Spiegel, Collins, Spence, Hall. Booked: Noble. Stoke City (4-4-1-1) Begovic; Cameron, Huth, Shawcross, Wilkinson (Shotton 32); Walters, Whelan (Palacios 62), Nzonzi, Etherington (Kightly 74); Adam; Crouch. Subs: Sorensen, Jones, Upson, Jerome. Referee: C Foy (Merseyside)