7th May 2012 | Football
West Ham v Cardiff Tip
The hosts just need to protect the lead they established in Cardiff. A draw here therefore becomes more likely.
After charging into a 2-0 lead in Wales, this first Championship play-off clash looks done and dusted. No bookie goes longer than 4/6 (Ladbrokes) on West Ham recording a second victory at Upton Park but the value play looks like backing the draw at best odds of 3/1 with Boylesports.
A sharing of the spoils in London would do the Hammers just fine, so we may well see them protecting what they already have to some extent while Cardiff force the pace. In other words, the usual pattern of home attack may not apply here.
Furthermore, we shouldn’t forget that the only reason Sam Allardyce’s side didn’t gain automatic promotion was shortcomings on their own patch in the run-in. West Ham went on a seven game winless stretch at the Boleyn Ground between mid-February and mid-April; six of those contests ended as draws.
Malky Mackay will remind his players that they won 1-0 here way back in August. I don’t think they will repeat that rather fortunate result this time, but they could keep the tie alive at least into the second half.
Odds correct at time of publishing: 13:02 7th May, 2012 but subject to change
