Its been seemingly one distraction after another for West Ham United, who will once more try to find some consistency at their new home Saturday against an in-form Stoke City side seeking their fourth win on the bounce in Premier League play.The Hammers (3-1-6) are barely above the drop in 17th place courtesy their start in which they dropped five of their first six matches. The London side was denied a fourth consecutive win in all competitions last weekend with a 2-0 loss at Everton in which they conceded second-half goals to Romelu Lukaku and Ross Barkley.The inconsistencies have left West Ham looking nothing like the team that surprised many to a sixth-place finish last season and a Europa League playoff spot. And the team is once again dealing with off-field distractions on two fronts, one the scary incident in which injured striker Andy Carroll appeared to be the target of armed motorcyclists and led them on a high-speed chase back to the teams training grounds. The other, the on-going problems of fan violence at Olympic Stadium following the teams 2-1 victory over Chelsea in the League Cup.It was scary what happened, but he is OK, manager Slaven Bilic said of Carroll. What can I say? I will treat it as a one-off accident that happened. He was probably targeted. I dont think it was a coincidence. It was like a chase for 15 or 20 minutes and it was probably planned.He was very brave to do what he did, and he came back to the training ground and it stopped. He is good and OK, though, and he acted like a really brave man.The fan violence has forced West Ham to alter their segregated seating plans for visiting Stoke supporters. Seven people were arrested following the Chelsea match, and the disturbances have flared up for three matches running.It might help, but thats the only thing we can do; the club has done everything, Bilic said when asked about the alterations. There was enough, obvious segregation between our fans and the Chelsea fans. The club is going to make an even bigger gap and thats all the club can do.On the pitch, Bilics concern is trying to ignite an offence that has accounted for just 10 goals in league play and scored more than one goal on just two occasions thus far.We are not scoring many goals and we are creating chances. But I would rather have us creating chances and waiting for a moment to convert them than not create them at all, he said.Stoke City (3-3-4), meanwhile, have fought to the middle of the table on the strength of their current surge and are unbeaten in their last five (3-2-0) following a four-match losing streak. The Potters swept aside Swansea City 3-1 on Monday as Wilfried Bony bagged a brace on either side of halftime.Having Bony open his account came at an opportune time for the Potters since Marko Arnautovic will serve a one-match ban for yellow card accumulation. But even without the Austria international, manager Mark Hughes is confident his team can find a way to notch a positive result in London.Weve had a run now of five games where we have been in a position where we feel our capabilities should be and we will be looking to maintain that, he told Stokes official website. It wont be easy, West Ham at home have sorted their act out a little bit, they struggled initially but have had a couple of good results there themselves.If youre going to go to difficult places, which this is a little bit of an unknown clearly with their new stadium, then you have to make sure you go there with confidence and thats what we are at the moment.Bilic is wary of containing midfielder Joe Allen, who leads the Potters with four goals and will be part of Wales squad for World Cup qualifying next week.He is playing really good, scoring and creating goals, Bilic noted. He scored for Wales against Austria and a few for Stoke and he is the link between the midfield and attack … he is one of their main players, especially now that Arnautovic is suspended and he is maybe their best player.Stoke City are unbeaten in their last six top-flight matches (3-3-0) versus West Ham, and the teams played to a scoreless draw at Upton Park in last seasons corresponding fixture. The Hammers are winless in their last four at home (0-3-1) against the Potters. China Shoes Wholesale . -- The Sacramento Kings are set to become the first major professional sports franchise to accept Bitcoin virtual currency for ticket and merchandise purchases. Jordan From China . -- The Magic have their first victory of the new year. https://www.chinashoes.us/ . Now tied for second in the league in shootout goals, the 24-year-old likes to see what the opposing goaltender has in store before he ultimately lands on a move. Fake China Shoes . 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Injury-ravaged Ireland became the first European team since 2003 to complete calendar-year victories over the southern hemispheres big three by fending off Australia 27-24 in Dublin.Ireland lost Rob Kearney, Andrew Trimble and Jared Payne to injury in a bruising contest, having entered the clash without Johnny Sexton and Robbie Henshaw and late withdrawal Sean OBrien.Iain Henderson, Garry Ringrose and Keith Earls claimed Irelands tries, while Dane Haylett-Petty, Tevita Kuridrani and Sefanaia Naivalu crossed for the Wallabies.Australia flanker Dean Mumm was fortunate to escape a red card for a dangerous tackle on Tadhg Furlong, while Bernard Foley was sin-binned late on for a challenge on Devin Toner.Ireland wound up with replacement scrum-half Kieran Marmion on the wing and Joey Carbery at full-back, but still produced a stirring victory over the Wallabies.Joe Schmidts men shrugged off all their injury concerns to beat New Zealand, South Africa and Australia all in the same year - the first northern hemisphere side to complete the feat since England 13 years ago.Ireland ripped into Australia from the off, but wasted three ideal platforms in the visitors 22 after punting kickable penalties to the corner.Some 17 Irish phases came and went on the move of the half that carried no reward, with Trimble hauled down just shy of the line.Ireland had a penalty in the bag but Mumm - selected at six to disrupt the home lineout - did exactly that. Israel Folau then left a knee in on Kearney as he shipped out wide, effectively forcing Irelands full-back out of the contest.Kearney had only just beaten a concussion picked up in last weeks 21-9 New Zealand loss, and was again withdrawn due to head injury checks here. Paddy Jackson slotted a penalty to put Ireland 3-0 to the good after Stephen Moore slipped off his feet at a ruck.And then came the halfs controversy. Mumm dumped Furlong at a ruck with Australia on the attack. The former Exeter back-five forward dropped Furlong on his head, however - and was hugely fortunate to avoid a red card.Referee Jerome Garces explained its not a dynamic situation to both captains in awarding Mumm a yellow card. An unfazed Ireland seized full advantage, Simon Zebo conjuring a try for Henderson thanks to a cute chipp that Earls regathered.ddddddddddddEarls fed the onrushing Henderson inside and the Ulster lock sneaked his way across the line. Jacksons conversion had Ireland 10-0 ahead just into the second quarter.Trimble was then forced off with ankle trouble, with Carbery slotting in at full-back and Zebo switching to the wing. Ireland fluffed a maul peel at the back of the lineout, only for Ringrose to scoop up the loose ball and wriggle home for the hosts second try.The stung Wallabies did however hit back. Rory Best produced a startling cover tackle on Reece Hodge to deny the visitors a score. Conor Murray dented another Wallabies raid, but Ireland could not keep Australia scoreless at the break.Haylett-Petty finished courtesy of a neat inside ball from Folau as Michael Cheikas men left the tie neatly poised, with Ireland leading 17-7 at the break.Ireland lost Payne at half-time, the influential centre suffering a back problem after having only just shaken off a lower-limb tweak to be fit for the clash.Yet another backline reshuffle saw Earls shift to 13 and replacement scrum-half Marmion enter the fray on the wing. A forward pass from David Pocock denied Australia an immediate try at the top of the second half.Just minutes later Kuridrani waltzed home however, with Irelands backline at sixes and sevens. Jackson posted his second penalty of the night to nudge Ireland back into a 20-14 lead, but still Australia heaped on the pressure.Replacement wing Naivalu coasted over with his first touch as Ireland lost their defensive shape, with Foley converting to hand the Wallabies a 21-20 lead.A Foley penalty handed Australia a four-point advantage on the hour, but Ireland somehow found another gear. Earls raced in from Zebos scoring pass thanks to bullish carries from CJ Stander, Furlong and Peter OMahony.Jacksons nerveless conversion pushed Ireland back into a 27-24 lead. Ireland continued to hang in the match, and were handed a huge boost when Foley was sin-binned for a dangerous tackle on Toner.The hosts then ground out the result, Jackson punting a full-time penalty into touch to spark raucous celebrations in Dublin. ' ' '