This televised lunchtime match delivered plenty of entertainment and provided both prospects for better things ahead and a dire warning of what might be to come for West Ham.

The good news first is that the Hammers are starting to look more like a cohesive unit again and, with Scott Parker running the show in midfield, it wouldn't have been that much of a shock if the visitors had taken all three points from this game as they had plenty of opportunities. And the bad news? Well, this match could just have been as easily lost. Poor Rob Green is having a nightmare and his nervousness is destabilizing the whole defence while up front the Hammers look toothless and in dire need of some goals from the forwards.

With Avram Grant not attending due to the observance of Yom Kippur, Paul Groves took charge of the team and the stand-in would be pleased with West Ham's first half performance. Stoke had two good chances to go ahead when Green missed an easy collect and Huth struck the post from the resulting loose ball while Jones volleyed over from a good position following a Pennant free-kick.

The Hammers went ahead after 32 minutes when Obinna sent in a free-kick that bounced around all over the place before Parker turned to hit home from close range. Frederic Piquionne could have doubled the lead shortly after when some excellent approach play enabled the ex-Pompey man to crack a drive from the edge of the area which cannoned against the bar. The visitors were looking good value for their lead at half-time but couldn't hold on for very long after the break as Stoke were level after only three minutes.

A superb Pennant cross allowed Jones a header at the far post with Green struggling to get back from the near, with the former Sunderland man out-jumping Da Costa as he thumped home. Pennant was now providing Stoke with plenty of room down the right flank and West Ham looked as if they were drifting out of the game but, following a superb finger tip save from Green who just managed to divert a Jones shot onto a post, Obbina pulled a smart stop from Sorensen who had to go full length to stop the dangerous shot. From the resulting corner, the Stoke keeper produced an even better save as Da Costa headed down forcing Sorensen to tip away low to his left.

With Jones limping off after injuring himself in the shot that Green had pushed onto the post, Eidur Gudjohnsen came on for his Stoke debut against a team that he may well have joined last season had Gianfranco Zola had his way but, although Green did well to tip over an Etherington shot and Rory Delap continued to worry the Hammers defence with his long-throws, the visitors managed to stay calm enough to claim their first point of the season. If West Ham can build on this at home to Spurs next week then this point may prove to be the game that turned things; at the moment though it hangs in the balance.