West Ham United – Preston North End

It's the final game of the English season and in a lot of ways the most important. One place in next year's Premiership up for grabs; will it be Billy Davies' Preston back in the big time after more than 40 years, or will Alan Pardew prove his doubters wrong and go one better than last year's Cardiff heartbreak for the Hammers? Tears, jeers and cheers, live from 3pm GMT.

The atmosphere is electric in Cardiff, both sets of fans going mental as the players come out.

It's going to be Preston to get us started, let battle commence

Etherington is caught late by Mawene and it's a free-kick, taken quickly and worked out to Powell who sees his curling cross fisted away by Nash and Preston eventually get the ball to safety

A long ball goes up to Nugent, but he can only f,lick the ball over the line for a goal-kick

It's quite a scrappy start in Cardiff, both sides stuggling to hold possession and gain control of the game

Newton comes forward and looks for options, he spots the amazing run forward from Repka and he latches onto the slide pass in the area - shoots

Repka's sidefooted effort crashes back off the outside of the post and goes behind. West Ham within inches of an early opener - courtesy of a defender who has never scored for the club coming up on the overlap!

Preston seem reliant on the long punt upfield to the forward pairing of Cresswell and Nugent and they're getting no joy

This is the last play-off match at the Millennium Stadium - just the Community Shield and the Carling Cup final left on the bill. Unless Wembley is late, of course.....

West Ham look dangerous when breaking, but try to be too intricate at times when the simple ball would be more effective

O'Neil and Etherington clash when going up for a high ball - and the West Ham man comes off worse and needs treatment

Reo-Coker trips Lewis as he made strides through the centre of park - and is lucky to escape without a card

Zamora finds himself up against Mawene with only the defender to beat. He looks to go through on the outside and goes down under a challenge - no penalty, says referee Riley.

Lewis gets to the byline and tries to find a white shirt in the box, but it's dealt with easily

Again Lewis finds space to comes forward with the ball, he has the ability to unlock defences. This time, though, Cresswell doesn't read the intended pass and the ball runs through to Walker

Free-kick to Preston. Great interplay as Lewis, Nugent and Cresswell work space - but the latter's final cross is cleared from the edge of the six yard box

Fact fans: I was in the year ahead of Richard Cresswell at school. Now there's a claim to fame

The game is claming down a little now, we look to be in for a tight affair

Mawene and Zamora again clash inside the box - and again it's the defender who wins the decision despite appearing to drag his opponent to the floor. Tightrope for Mawene against Zamora

Etherington runs onto the pass from Zamora and fizzes in a shot - it's too close to Nash and he pushed it over the bar for a corner

Etherington stands over the ball and floats it towards the penalty spot - Davis is there to head out of the area

'I'm forever blowing bubbles' is belted out by the Hammers fans. I've always found that one of the most bizarre football songs. And the worst.

Cresswell and Nugent continue to struggle for service while Zamora, if not Harewood, seems to be getting a modicum of success

I've been to Upton Park a few times - it's worth mentioning the queue at the tube station after the game. Sleep well, don't have nightmares. Or get the bus

Corner to Preston. Mawene is up for this one, as is Lucketti. McKenna takes and Davis completely misses his header and the ball runs through. That was a decent chance for the defender

Mullins is booked after a clash with O'Neil - he looked ready to square up to the Preston man. But it is a West Ham free-kick

Etherington, as usual, is the player on the set-piece. It's sent in with pace - and headed away well by Davis

Zamora is felled around 25 yards out, and it's in a central position. Lots of hungry Hammers wanting a crazck at this. Zamora, Harewood - though Etherington takes the shot and he balloons it over the bar. Awful

Davis blocks off the run of Newton as he looked to break through the centre. It was cynical and a deserved yellow. The free-kick is taken short

Etherington again it is to float the ball in from the left flank - it's a simple catch for former Middlesbrough and Man City goalkeeper Nash

Now Preston get a shot at a dangerous set-piece. It's about five yards outside the box to the left of goal. It's worked wide rather than opting for the shot and Ferdinand has to head away Lewis' cross. More training ground stuff from Preston

Zamora goes down again, McKenna the aggressor this time. It's aroudn 20 yards out, to the right of goal. Will it be Etherington again?

It's not, West Ham try to copy Preston and try something different. Harewood, who had been one of the players guarding the ball, loses his footing and Preston come away with the ball. Wasteful yet again

You can sense the tension building up inside the ground now. I can vouch for that from my visit there yesterday

Just one save to be made so far - by Nash. Preston have yet to have a shot at all. It's hardly a rip-roarer - but interesting all the same

Another fact for you: It's Billy Davies' birthday tomorrow

Corner to Preston. It's Lewis from the right with his left - Lucketti sprints in and gets a shoulder to it, only for the ball to bounce to Walker. A half chance for Preston, and at last a shot

This one could go to penalties - West Ham would certainly feel the happier at the moment. But only just

Nugent battles with Repka in the box, it's great defending from the West Ham man to win it and clear

Reo-Coker strides down the left flank - this time it's Mawene with the powerful defending to get in front of his man, and win the throw-in

And then Mawene miscontrols a cross-field ball and gifts possession to West Ham

Lewis crosses into the box from the left, Ward is there to head clear. Preston are improving as the half closes

Davis loses out to Zamora inside the box when trying to guard the ball out, Zamora is almots in on goal but the defender gets back to make the challenge

Zamora again wants a penalty - he went down very easily, not even looking to get the shot away. It was a good challenge, the ref got it spot on

Etherington floats in the corner - and again it's down the throat of Nash

One minute will be added on here

And that's half-time in Cardiff

It perhaps wasn't the best half, but the match had its moments - most notably Repka hitting the post. We could be in for the long haul here, folks.

The players are back out, and it's West Ham to get us started

Etherington looks for Repka with a long ball, he can't get control on the header across goal and it's a goal-kick

Harewodd catches Mawene with an arm when going up for a header. Nothing sinister, but a foul all the same

Powell gives Sedgewick no room to try his trickery on the right, but has to give away the though

It's worked to Mawene into Cresswell - who wins a dubious corner off Ward. The West Ham man is furious

It's drifted it to the edge of the six-yard box, Cresswell managed to arrow a header towards the corner of the net - only to see Newton scurrying back to head off the line

Again it's a corner, this time Sedgewick pick up the ball but he's always streching and fires way over

It's a good start to the second half for Preston. can you get the opener?

Reo-Coker again shows his ability to break forward with the ball and thread it through the centre. Mawene plays Harewood onside and he's through with only Nash to beat...

...fantastic save from Nash, throwing out his left arm to get a strong hand, but the loose ball falls to Zamora, Nash is now out of position and only Mawene on the line can stop the goal...

...Zamora's shot is kicked off the line, he shot straight at Mawene with the whole goal at his mercy! And it's Harewood again...

...Nash gathers at the second attempt after again saving from Harewood. Fantastic goalkeeping - but how did Zamora miss?

Finally this game seems to be coming to life, both sides having great opportunities to find a way through.

Mullins gives the ball away to McKenna with a terrible pass - forcing Reo-Coker to stop the move with a foul

Etherington is away down the left, he picks out Zamora with a fine cross...

GOAL!!!!

Zamora sidefoots into the corner from eight yards out, beyond the despairing dive from Nash. West Ham have the lead - Etherington the architecht

Preston are going to have to play with more urgency as time ticks away

West Ham are buoyant on and off the pitch, they look hungry for a second

O'Neil drags back Harewood, it's a free-kick to West Ham in the deep. Etherington floats it in, Zamora is completely unmarked eight yards out and must score... but he heads miles over, an awful effort

Mawene hacks down Etherington and becomes the third player to enter the book

Powell does well to get past Mawene and move into the box - but Mawene does brilliantly to get back and make the tackle before Powell has the chance to cut it back

Nugent takes control and moves forward. The West Ham defenders are scared to make the tackle and he works some space on the edge of the box for the shot - but it's straight at Walker. Preston need to see more of that

Cresswell is brought down by Mullins, free-kick to the men fron Deepdale

O'Neil's angled pass onto the flank raises eyebrows with no man out on the left. Preston cannot afford to be so wasteful now, they have to start to fashion chances

Hill gets it on the left, his looping ball is nodded down by Nugent for Cresswell who controls before dragging his shot wide of the left hand post.

Sedgewick opts for trickery rather than delivery and Powell reads his intentions. You've got to put it in the mixer now, now is not the time for showmanship

Repka does what Sedgewick didn't and delivers a first-time cross from the right, Harewood is on the end of it and heads inches wide. Close call

Preston make a change - and it's Chris Sedgwick who is replaced by Patrick Agyemang

Fact fans, it's one for you again: Agyemang's nickname when at Wimbledon was 'Wu Tang'.

Harewood fouls Mawene, Preston get possession back and move forward once more

Lucketti makes the foul this time, twisting round on Zamora. The striker goes down like he's been shot - place you house on him being alright

West Ham make a change as Christian Dailly comes on for scorer Bobby Zamora. It's tactical and not enforced as Alan Pardew looks to shut up shop with one up top

Cresswell is tripped by Mullins 25 yards out and this is a chance for Preston, will it be another training ground move? Surely they have to shoot? They do shoot - but Lewis fires into orbit.

Newton's down with cramp. Referee Riley refuses to allow the physio on - but he comes on anyway!

Time's running out for Preston, and it's comfortable for West Ham at the moment

Agyemang causes chaos with his style of play, almost working Cresswell in on goal but Preston have to settle for a corner

It's worked short for Lewis to cross, Cresswell gets on the end of it but his header lacks power and it straight at Walker

Harewood comes forward, he has two options in the centre unmarked - all he has to do it slip the ball across the edge of the area. And he slips over and wastes the move

Another change for Preston as Brian O'Neil is replaced by Dickson Etuhu

And West Ham replace Shaun Newton with starlet Mark Noble - a real hero on the terraces

Reo-Coker plays Harewood in through the centre - Mawene steps up and the former Forest man is offside

Preston pump the ball up to the edge of the box, Walker comes out to claim but his momentum carries him out of the area - and the referee blows for the foul

Walker's down in a crumpled heap, replays show he twisted his knee in a horrible, horrible way in trying to stay in the area. The injury will probably save him from the red card

There's a delay while Walker receives treatment and is stretcher off, with yellow card shown. Stephen Bywater replaces the unfortunate stopper

Preston make their final throw of the dice before the free-kick, with Graham Alexander coming on for Youl Mawene

The free-kick is just outside the area, almost every West Ham player is in the wall. McKenna takes the shot, but Bywater is equal to the effort which was curling into the right corner

West Ham keep the ball in the corner now, looking to run down the clock. But there will be a sizeable chunk of stoppage time

Reo Coker suddenly gets a sight of goal on the edge of the box, but he gets a rush of blood and complete mis-hits it, sending the ball towards the corner flag

There will be seven added minutes, still hope for Preston!

Hill finds acres of space on the left, he drills a powerful drive across the face of goal and Ward manages to clear - that could have gone anywhere

The West Ham fans can smell the Premiership now - four minutes of added time remain

Preston cannot get the ball up to the final third, West Ham working tirlessly to close the ball down

Repka guides the ball behind as Lucketti closes - and the defender goes down clutching his ankle it a bizarre attempt to waste time - he wasn't on the pitch!

Noble breaks and the defence opens up, his effort is wide of the left post

Two minutes left now, surely West Ham are there? Walker picks up the ball and takes an age to play it upfield

One minute to go now, and Preston look a beaten side

Noble runs the ball into the corner, the West Ham fans are celebrating already

The referee blows the whistle, West Ham have won and will be back in the Premiership for 2005/06

It was hardly a classic, but the West Ham faithful care not one bit. The Hammers deserve the victory on their play in Cardiff, but can they build for survival next season?

The final play-off party is well underway in Cardiff, with Preston's players crestfallen as they salute their fans

Zamora is the hero with the winning goal. And he will get a second crack at Premiership football after his aborted spell with Spurs