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Noble own goal hands Swansea point

Swansea, United Kingdom, Jan 10, 2015 (AFP) -Swansea rode their luck to rescue a 1-1 draw against West Ham thanks to Mark Noble's second half own goal at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday.

Garry Monk's side fell behind late in the first half to Andy Carroll's fourth goal of another injury-plagued season.

But after squandering several chances to equalise, the hosts finally drew level with 16 minutes remaining when Bafetimbi Gomis's header hit a post and rebounded into the net off the luckless Noble.

Seventh placed West Ham, whose manager Sam Allardyce was absent with a chest infection, have now gone five games without a win in all competitions, while mid-table Swansea are without a victory in their last three Premier League matches.

The hosts made a lively start and Gomis, muscling his way past West Ham defender James Collins before launching into a diving header, came within inches of turning in Nathan Dyer's cross.

Allardyce's side went close moments later when Kevin Nolan took Carroll's lay-off and curled his shot onto the roof of the net.

A flowing Swansea move prised open the visitors' defence as Dyer cut back to Gylfi Sigurdsson, but the Iceland midfielder's weak shot was straight at Hammers goalkeeper Adrian.

And Swansea were made to pay for those misses as Carroll opened the scoring in the 43rd minute.

It was a goal that showcased the best of the burly Carroll, who used his power to bully his way past several defenders before smashing a superb left-footed strike into the top corner.

Wayne Routledge looked certain to equalise before half-time when the ball broke to the Swansea winger in the area, but Carl Jenkinson came sliding in to block the shot.

Sigurdsson was narrowly off-target with a dipping effort in the first minute of the second half.

Carroll needed treatment on his neck but he was able to continue and flashed his shot just wide from Jenkinson's pass.

Dyer and Routledge made way for Marvin Emnes and Modou Barrow and Gomis immediately combined well with Emnes before blazing over after the neat one-two.

Swansea's pressure was rewarded with a 74th minute equaliser as Gomis's glancing header from 12 yards out hit a post and rebounded back into the net off the unfortunate Noble

Gomis responds by displaying a French flag in honour of the victims of the horrific attacks in Paris this week.

Lukasz Fabianski made a pair of fine saves to deny Stewart Downing and then Jenkinson in a frantic finale.

And Fabianski produced an even better stop to keep out Carroll from point-blank range after the Polish keeper had spilled Jenkinson's free-kick.


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