Road to Wembley - The best final for years

Liverpool 3 West Ham 3. Liverpool won 3-1 on penalties
What a fantastic game it was on Saturday, I was cheering the Hammers on from a pub packed with a mixture of East End and Liverpudlian ex-pats and it was a throw back to the old days of FA Cup Finals. Add Steven Gerrard to Ian Porterfield, Ricky Villa, Tommy Hutchinson and Norman Whiteside as recent history cup final legends. My, he is some player.

But West Ham played such a fantastic part in the game, it was a real shame it had to go to penalties. No one gave them a chance but Liverpool gifted them two goals, albeit enforced mistakes by Scaloni causing CARRAGHER to get an O.G. and a combo of Benayoun and ASHTON for the 2nd.

But Liverpool stomed back with CISSE finishing well and GERRARD hammering home from close range. Before that they were unlucky to have a Crouch effort ruled out, but as an England fan isn't it a bit disconcerting that he was withdrawn by his club manager an hour before the game was finished? He is a white Carl Leaburn, sorry.

Then ex-Addick KONCHESKY got lucky with what was an excellent cross that turned into a 'lucky' goal but it inspired West Ham and with the minutes ticking away you felt that only one player could save Liverpool. And even though seconds earlier he could hardly stand the Reds captain fired in an absolute blinder from fully 35 yards.

As players in extra time dropped liked flies Benayoun just kept going as did Sissoko and with both fans in excellent voice the Irons almost snatched victory with 90 seconds left of added time when Nigel Reo-Coker's deflection was turned on to the post by Reina. A goalmouth scramble followed before Harewood, who was suffering badly from cramp, managed to shoot wide when it was easier to score. He looked devastated.

Reina who was to blame for both West Ham's 2nd and 3rd goal was probably lifted by his late save from Reo-Coker was the hero in the penalties as the scousers won 3-1.

As always it was a shame the game had to be decided by penalties but the players that stepped up to take them in Liverpool shirts compared to those in West Ham showed the difference in quality - Dietmar Hamann, Gerrard and John Arne Riise compared to Ferdinand, Konchesky and Zamora, but it only showed what a fantastic performance is was by West Ham.

Afterwards I couldn't help feel that Charlton would never have been so adventurous in their play and a UEFA Cup place is fully deserved by an obviously intelligent manager in Alan Pardew. The much vilified West Ham board also take credit for sticking with him when it would have been easier to sack him and appease their critics.

Simon Nevill phoned me at half-time and was 7th heaven and then text me at the end simply saying: "I'm completely fucked." Sums it up nicely.

West Ham Team: West Ham: Hislop, Scaloni, Ferdinand, Gabbidon, Konchesky, Benayoun, Fletcher (Dailly 77), Reo-Coker, Etherington (Sheringham 85), Ashton (Zamora 71), Harewood.
Subs Not Used: Walker, Collins.
Attendence: 74,000
MoM: Benayoun