Summary West Ham and Stoke played a 1-1 draw in the English Premier League.
West Ham rescued a 1-1 draw against Stoke at Upton Park on Monday thanks to Joey O Brien s first ever Premier League goal.
Republic of Ireland right-back O Brien had never scored in the English top-flight despite a long career at that level with Bolton and now West Ham, but the 26-year-old chose the perfect moment to end his drought.
Sam Allardyce s side trailed to a goal early in the first half from Stoke striker Jonathan Walters until O Brien slotted home from close-range three minutes after the interval to earn his moment as the unlikely hero.
O Brien s intervention maintained West Ham s impressive start to the season and they remain seventh in the table, level on points with Arsenal, and above the likes of Tottenham, Liverpool and Newcastle.
Stoke s seventh draw from 12 league matches this season kept Tony Pulis s team clear of the relegation zone, although it also extended their winless run on their travels to 16 matches.
After all the pre-match talk that this would be a bruising battle between two sides who prefer the aggressive route-one approach, it was fitting that Stoke s early opener arrived via a set piece rather than a intricate passing move.
Pulis s side took the lead in the 12th minute when Glenn Whelan s corner was met by Walters, who timed his run perfectly to drive his shot past Hammers goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen and beyond Andy Carroll s attempt to clear off the line.
That was Walters third goal of the season and Stoke could have been further in front before half-time when midfielder Steven Nzonzi lashed a fierce strike against the crossbar from long-range.
Just before that referee Chris Foy had turned down West Ham s penalty appeals after Geoff Cameron s push on Carroll.
But the hosts came out with more energy in the second half and Kevin Nolan should have equalised almost immediately when the midfielder s close-range header from George McCartney s cross was straight at goalkeeper Asmir Begovic.
Nolan didn t have worry for long though as West Ham equalised in the 48th minute when Gary O Neil crossed from the right for O Brien to flick home.
Allardyce s men came closest to winning it when Carroll flicked on Mark Noble s corner and Modibo Maiga pounced to fire in a shot that Begovic saved well.
