Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live text commentary of the Premier League fixture between Bournemouth and West Ham United.

Today's game at the Vitality Stadium sees the out-of-form Cherries try and claim their first league win of 2017 against a side which was in threat of being caught up in a relegation fight earlier in the season but has bounced back to put themselves within touching distance of the top ten.

Eddie Howe's charges have not won in eight matches, with their 1-1 draw with Manchester United last time out marking the end of a four-game losing streak, but they remain 14th in the table, five points above the bottom three.

Slaven Bilic's players, meanwhile, have won just one of their last five league games, but four wins and two draws in their last 10 have alleviated their relegation fears, and they now sit 11th on 33 points.

Without further ado, let me bring you the team news for today's game on the South Coast.

BOURNEMOUTH STARTING XI: Boruc, Francis (c), Cook, Daniels, Smith, Gosling, Pugh, Arter, King, Fraser, Afobe

WEST HAM STARTING XI: Randolph, Reid, Cresswell, Kouyate, Fonte, Feghouli, Lanzini, Obiang, Noble (c), Antonio, Carroll

BOURNEMOUTH STARTING XI: Allsop, Smith, Cargill, Wilshere, Ibe, Gradel, Mousset

WEST HAM SUBS: Adrian, Collins, Byram, Masuaku, Snodgrass, Ayew, Fernandes

The key team news within the Bournemouth camp is that Tyrone Mings is unavailable today as he starts his five-match ban for stamping on Manchester United hotshot Zlatan Ibrahimovic at Old Trafford last weekend, while Andrew Surman is also suspended following the 1-1 draw with the Red Devils.

In their place, captain Simon Francis comes back in after overcoming a hamstring problem, while Dan Gosling is also recalled by Howe.

West Ham, meanwhile, are boosted by the return from suspension of Michail Antonio after a one-match ban, with the forward replacing Robert Snodgrass, who drops down to the bench in their only change from Monday's 2-1 home loss to Chelsea.

Defender Winston Reid and striker Andy Carroll have both recovered from injuries picked up against the league leaders to also take their place in the visitors' starting line-up this afternoon.

What have the men on the touchline said ahead of their clash today? Let's start with Howe, who told his presser: "West Ham have done well. They've picked up, got some good results and it coincides with some key players returning for them. They're a different team with Andy Carroll - he's got strengths and is a huge part of their game."

Meanwhile, Bilic had this to tell the assembled hacks on Friday: "They have had a few defeats and a draw but the last game would have given them a big boost and confidence. It's a great result to get a point at Old Trafford, especially with 10 men. We are expecting a difficult game. [It's] a small pitch and a good atmosphere."

Going back to the team news briefly, Mings's suspension has not been received very well at the Vitality Stadium. The club released a statement saying they found it "extraordinary" that the charges against him against Ibrahimovic had been proven, the FA deeming the standard punishment of a three-match ban as "clearly insufficient".

Howe also stuck up for his player as he went on record to say: "We are disappointed for Tyrone, we feel it was accidental and everything we feel is in our statement. I don't think he has that kind of streak in him - although he is a beast by stature, he is a gentle giant, on and off the pitch. I see a defender who has made a very good tackle trying to get back to his goal as quickly as possible. His focus is on the ball, not on what lies beneath him. You can make any interpretation you want, you can see what you want to see, but I think people who understand the game to a really high level - especially being a defender myself - will know that your only priority is to defend your goal."

Let's now cast our eyes back to early December 2016. The days were short, the weather awful, the Christmas adverts notched up into fifth gear, and the Hammers labelled a dead team walking after Arsenal put five past them at the London Stadium, leaving them one point above the bottom three. How things change eh? West Ham now have plans on the top half of the table. And the Gunners? Well, they were second in the table, just three points behind tabletopping Chelsea, and Arsene Wenger was the toast of the red side of North London...

In fact, the Hammers will break into the top half of the league with victory on the South Coast, with Stoke City and Southampton not in action this weekend.

HEAD TO HEAD: This will be just the fourth Premier League meeting between the teams. West Ham have won the last two, including the corresponding fixture last season, while the Cherries' only previous victory against West Ham in any competition was at the Boleyn Ground last season - their first ever top-flight win.

All seven of West Ham's Premier League goals against the Cherries have come in the second half of games.

No club in Premier League history has used more English players than West Ham (105 - level with Aston Villa), while Bournemouth have used the joint-most this season (15 - level with Burnley).

The Cherries still haven't managed to win a Premier League home match against opposition from London - the record stands at three draws and five defeats.

Of West Ham's 33 Premier League points this season, 26 have been won against teams currently in the bottom half of the table, and eight of their nine wins have also come against these sides.

SCORE PREDICTION: Time for me to have a go at predicting today's scoreline at the Vitality Stadium. It's a must-win game for Bournemouth, who need to stop the rot lest they be sucked in ever deeper into relegation trouble, Tyrone Mings's ban, however, will not only be missed from a playing perspective, but there's the chance that his teammates on the pitch may have been left demoralised by the FA's decision to suspend him for five games. West Ham have been impressive on the road, so I reckon they'll have just enough to claim all three points. I'll call it a 3-1 away win.

Mings is in the director's box, and he does not look particularly happy with his enforced absence...

The two teams are out on the Dean Court pitch, shaking hands and getting the formalities out of the way, with kickoff coming up very shortly.

KICKOFF! West Ham get the action underway following the blowing of referee Bobby Madley's whistle.

A bright start from the Cherries as Fraser makes a run down the left and whips a cross towads the back post, but the visitors are able to clear the danger.

Another foray forward by the hosts, with Afobe cutting the ball back on the edge of the box for Pugh, only for Kouyate to make an important intervention.

CHANCE! Bournemouth continue to pile on the pressure a they get the ball to Pugh, who crosses to Afobe in the box, and he climbs high to get a connection but sends his header wide of the right post.

PENALTY! We could have the breakthrough here as Feghouli hauls down Daniels in the box, prompting Madley to blow and point to the spot! Noble also gets booked for protesting too much about that decision.

PENALTY MISS! Nope, no breakthrough. King steps up to the spot and sidefoots the ball with the intention of finding the bottom corner, but it goes well wide. Poor penalty.

And from the counter, West Ham go on to take the lead! Arter gifts possession straight to Feghouli just outside his own area, the ball is fed to Antonio in the box, and the forward turns before slotting home into the bottom corner!

Noble goes in late on Gosling and is very lucky not to pick up a second booking.

DISALLOWED GOAL! A long ball over the top finds Afobe between the two West Ham centre-backs, but as he chips his effort over Randolph, the referee stops play for handball.

Bournemouth continue to push forward and they come close once again as Daniels breaks clear down the left and curls a cross into the box that is just too deep for King to connect with.

King takes the ball and goes off on a run through the middle, but he gets his ankles clipped by Obiang, who escapes a booking, and from the ensuing free kick, West Ham clear.

CHANCE! It's been virtually all Bournemouth so far in this game but the hosts nearly find themselves two down as Feghouli gets in behind, looks up and cuts back to Antonio who curls a low shot just wide with Boruc at full stretch!

Kouyate marauds forward from the back and uses his strength to power through several Cherries defenders, but he cannot muster a successful cross and is forced to settle for a throw-in.

CHANCES! West Ham now on the front foot as they carve out two good chances in quick succession, first through Feghouli, who fires wide from the edge of the box, then through Lanzini, who collects Antonio's pull-back but blasts over.

CHANCE! Fraser goes for goal from distance and launches an effort towards the bottom corner, but Randolph dives low to his right and keeps the ball out.

CHANCE! From the resulting corner, Cook steers a header towards goal, but Randolph once again pulls off a brilliant save and diverts the ball onto the crossbar and out for another corner.

King makes amends for his earlier penalty miss by hauling his side back into the game with a fine strike as he lifts the ball over Fonte in the box before fending him off and rifling a left-footed strike past Randolph.

BOOKING: Obiang brings down the marauding King for the second time this afternoon and this time Madley decides to flash a yellow card at him.

PENALTY! The hosts get a second chance at scoring from the spot after Pugh is tripped by Fonte! Afobe to take...

PENALTY MISS! And once again, the Cherries fluff their lines and fail to convert from 12 yards. Afobe strikes low to his left, but Randolph guesses correctly, falls on the ball and manages to hold on to it.

CHANCE! Both goalkeepers are impressing here at the Vitality as Boruc's outstretched left foot keeps out Feghouli's deflected low shot from just inside the box.

The resulting corner falls towards Antonio, who gets his head onto it and sends the ball towards goal, but Cook is on hand to get in the way of the effort and it's soon cleared.

2 - Bournemouth are the first side to miss 2 penalties in the first half of a PL game since Aston Villa v Wimbledon in Sep 1998. Wayward. — OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) March 11, 2017

It continues to be frantic right at the death as Daniels collects a pass from Pugh and sends a dangerous low ball into the box, but Afobe's shot on the turn is blocked by Reid. Two minutes of stoppage time are announced.

A lively and eventful first half at the Vitality Stadium ends on a knife-edge as Bournemouth and West Ham head back to the dressing rooms with a goal apiece.

Both sides have enjoyed bright spells in the opening 45 minutes, although the Cherries have arguably had the better of things. They won't be pleased to only be level at the break, but it's an improvement on how it was looking to pan out.

They could have taken the lead from the spot after just eight minutes when Sofiane Feghouli hauled down Charlie Daniels in the Hammers box, but Joshua King's spotkick was sidefooted wide, and when play restarted, the visitors went on to open the scoring through Michail Antonio.

The Hammers then piled on the pressure midway through the first half and could have extended their lead, but Bournemouth soon regained their composure and King made amends with a neat equaliser just after the half-hour mark.

However, Howe and his troops will be gutted to have missed a second spot-kick when Benik Afobe's weak effort was stopped and held by Darren Randolph, and despite both sides continuing to pound the opposition box with forays and efforts, it ends all square at the break.

FIRST-HALF STATS: Bournemouth have recorded 11 efforts, four of which were on target, completed 164 passes for a passing accuracy of 80 percent, enjoyed 57 percent possession and won three corners.

Meanwhile, West Ham have recorded nine shots, three of which were on target, completed 118 passes for a passing accuracy of 76 percent, enjoyed 43 percent possession and won two corners.

Will King and his teammates be this glum at the end of the game? Or will Bournemouth conquer the Hammers? The second half is to get underway soon.

© SilverHub

KICKOFF: Hosts Bournemouth get the second half underway. No changes from either side.

Fraser dinks a cross into the box in an attempt to find one of his teammates, but the Hammers defence manages to clear for a throw-in.

After a bit of a discussion among the officials, Bournemouth are awarded a second goal and they edge into the lead! Fraser chips a free kick into the area and the ball breaks kindly for the unmarked King, who coolly sidefoots home from six yards out!

CHANCE! Smith goes on a driving run, links up with Arter and strikes from the right-hand corner of the box, only to drag his shot wide of the near post.

CHANCE! Fraser collects Arter's pass and goes for goal, only to see his effort deflected into the hands of Randolph.

SUBSTITUTIONS: West Ham make the first changes of the game as Ayew and Snodgrass come on for Noble and Feghouli.

Snodgrass has only been on the pitch for about one minute, but he is down in pain on the byline after challenging Daniels and appearing to turn his ankle.

Snodgrass does not appear to have suffered anything serious, returning to the action, but now Arter is on the turf.

The game has gone down a notch in terms of tempo due to the stoppages, which will suit Bournemouth more as West Ham look out of sorts and are struggling to regain a foothold in the game whilst being a goal down.

BOOKING: Pugh pulls back Kouyate and gets a yellow card for his troubles.

CHANCE! Bournemouth break as King bursts upfield and feeds Afobe on the edge of the area, who gets a shot in under pressure from Reid, by Randolph makes a comfortable save to claim the ball.

CHANCE! Now West Ham threaten as Lanzini and Antonio combine in the final third and the latter is able to fire at goal, only to see his effort saved by Boruc low to his left.

Antonio is down with a shoulder problem as we have another stoppage while the physio comes on to assess him, but eventually he gets back up and looks fine to continue.

BOOKING: Afobe charges down a weak backpass but catches Randolph with his leading foot to earn himself a caution.

CHANCE! Arter feeds Smith, who dinks the ball into the Hammers box, and Afobe gets in front of his man and powers his header just over the bar.

SUBSTITUTION: The visitors make their third and final change of the day as Byram replaces Kouyate.

BOOKING: An advancing Antonio is cynically hacked down by Gosling, who is shown a yellow for his troubles.

CHANCE! Cook makes a great block as he charges down Antonio's goalbound effort from the edge of the box.

And West Ham are level! Obiang starts the move with a throughball to release Byram, who goes past Daniels and cuts it to the middle for an unmarked Ayew to slot home!

SUBSTITUTIONS: Bournemouth now make their last changes of the day as Wilshere and Mousset come on for Afobe and Fraser.

CHANCE! Arter picks up the ball in the middle of the park, advances unchallenged and decides to strike from distance before he can be closed down, only for the effort to whistle past the right-hand post.

PENALTY SHOUT! West Ham want a penalty as Carroll whips a cross in from the left which appears to clip Smith on the hand, but Madley waves for play to continue.

We have an extra five minutes to play at the end of the second half.

King by name, king by nature! The Bournemouth striker will claim the match ball after crowning his performance today with a hat-trick and potentially his side's winner!

Wilshere connects well with Pugh before reclaiming the ball, his shot from a few yards out is blocked by Randolph but King is in the right place to smash home on the rebound!

BOOKING: Cook gets a late caution for a clumsy tackle on Carroll.

That's the full-time whistle and what a game this was! Chances, tackles, tension, goals, controversy, late drama, and a hat-trick hero to crown the whole lot!

Joshua King looked like he would be a zero after his earlier penalty miss, from which West Ham went on to score, but talk about making amends - he only went and bagged a hat-trick, the clincher coming in the 90th minute!

So Bournemouth claim their first win of 2017, remaining 14th in the Premier League table with a six-point cushion above the bottom three. Meanwhile, West Ham stay in 11th place.

That's all we've got time for at the Vitality Stadium but Sports Mole is on hand to bring you match reports, reaction and all the latest news from today's football! Thank you for following and, until next time, goodbye!