Goalkeeper Steve Bywater is set to keep his place in the West Ham team as they prepare to take on Premiership Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday.

The young keeper had an action-packed promotion to the first team last Saturday at Sheffield United, saving a penalty before conceding a last-minute equaliser in a 3-3 draw.

The former England under-21 prospect was furious with himself after being stranded in no man's land under Michael Tonge's corner in the build-up to that goal, but manager Alan Pardew has reassured him.

"That goal was a sickener and poor Stephen made a slight error and it cost us," he said.

"But he had been terrific under all that pressure before and this will make him stronger and stronger."

Published Friday January 23, 2004

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