Bojan Krkic rescued a point for Stoke City at West Ham United this afternoon as the Potters extended their unbeaten streak in the Premier League to six games.
There was little to separate the two sides in a cagey first half with just one shot on target for each team. Dimitri Payet had the best of the chances, but his free kick from just outside the area went over the bar in first-half injury time.
Stoke could have taken the lead as the hour mark approached when Hammers keeper Adrian dropped the ball following a Charlie Adam corner, but Cheikhou Kouyate was on hand to clear.
Slaven Bilic changed tactics in an effort to find a breakthrough, bringing on Ashley Fletcher and Edimilson Fernandes and moving Michail Antonio up front, and his decision delivered an immediate reward.
Payet was provider, his cross meeting Michail Antonio, whose glanced header took an unfortunate deflection off Glenn Whelan on its way into the net.
Mark Hughes responded by making changes of his own, bringing on Bojan and Peter Crouch for Whelan and Wilfried Bony, and it was mere minutes before the Spaniard found the equaliser.
Jonathan Walters beat Adrian to the ball inside the penalty area and, despite being taken down by the keeper, managed to cross to Bojan, who made no mistake with a powerful shot into the net.
Stoke were the better side in the final quarter of an hour and could have snatched all three points through an Adam free kick in the dying moments, but Adrian palmed his shot wide to ensure that the spoils were shared.
Hughes's men are now up to 11th in the Premier League table, while West Ham move up to 16th.
Neil Wilkes
