Half-Time Report: Blackpool 0-1 West Ham United

West Ham United lead 1-0 at the interval of Saturday's Championship playoff final.

It was West Ham who started the better and Kevin Nolan might have slipped in Carlton Cole after barely 30 seconds on the clock, before Hammers stopper Rob
Green denied Stephen Dobbie from close range after three minutes.

West Ham came close to the opener after 10 minutes when Ricardo Vaz Te advanced in the box, but his shot drifted wide of Matt Gilks's post in a period with few clear openings.

Matt Phillips so nearly handed Blackpool the lead after 15 minutes when he advanced into the box, but somehow he fired wide of the post when he might have done better.

West Ham again came close with an effort from Vaz Te after 20 minutes, but the former Bolton Wanderers man again fired wide, before Cole headed over moments later.

The Hammers threatened with a series of corners late in the half, with James Tomkins so nearly opening the score on more than one occasion.

West Ham did take the lead, however, after 35 minutes when Cole collected a Matthew Taylor pass before finding the back of the net.

It was so nearly two when Vaz Te advanced into the box five minutes before the break but he fired just wide, to leave the score 1-0 to the Hammers after 45 minutes of football.