Post Match Comments
Audio Match ReportSaturday 11th November 2000
FA PREMIER LEAGUE
Upton Park
Attendance:26,022
Referee:Jeff WinterWEST HAM4Lomas (53), Sinclair (58), Pearce I (66), Di Canio (Pen 88) MAN CITY1Prior (31)HISLOPSINCLAIRFERDINANDPEARCE IPEARCE SLOMASKANOUTEWINTERBURNLAMPARDCARRICKDI CANIOSubs:BYWATERSUKERPOTTSMONKOURDIAWARAWEAVERHOWEYPRIORRITCHIECHARVETWIEKENSHAALANDWHITLEYPHILLIPSWANCHOPEKENNEDY Subs:WRIGHTBISHOPDUNNE (67)ALLSOP (74)HORLOCKThe Hammers romped to their biggest win of the season against Manchester City - and moved up to 13th for their troubles.
But the afternoon was not without its anxious moments as the Hammers trailed at half time to a Spencer Prior header from a Mark Kennedy corner.
Earlier, Paolo di Canio had been unlucky when he chipped Nicky Weaver only for the effort to come crashing off the bar. Neither Michael Carrick or Frank Lampard were able to convert the rebound.
City had the ball in the net before Prior's effort when Mark Kennedy sidefooted home a Sean Phillips cross, but, to the surprise of many, the referee blew up for offside.
At the other end, Kanoute should surely have been awarded a penalty when Steve Howey tripped the striker who had wrong footed him. But play was waved on.
West Ham, while perhaps not playing to full capacity, certainly dominated the proceedings and there were chances for Kanoute, di Canio, Sinclair, and Ian Pearce before the break.
But it wasn't until the 53rd minute that West Ham got the breakthrough when Steve Lomas sidefooted home Kanoute's low cross after Frank Lampard missed the ball completely.
West Ham soon edged themselves in front when Carrick crossed from the left hand by-line and, although Kanoute and several defenders missed it, Sinclair was able to slot home from a tight angle.
West Ham were back to their best and Kanoute set up Ian Pearce for a third following a twisting run and clever cross that Pearce nodded home.
Kanoute had three one on one's with Weaver who frustrated him every time but he had a hand in the fourth goal when referee Jeff Winter adjudged Spencer Prior to have tugged his shirt as he struck a fierce shot that Nicky Weaver parried over the bar.
A surprised Paolo di Canio stepped up with a cheek chip to send Weaver the wrong way.
A delighte Harry Redknapp said after the game:
"There was some good football played. I thought we had some chances in the first half with Di Canio hitting the bar."
He continued:
"It's never easy when you come in 1-0 down, and you can see how the players reacted today. They can get edgy, and then the crowd gets edgy but we came out in the second half and I said we can get back in the game and win it.
"And to be fair, we created a hatful of chances. If we had scored six or seven, you wouldn't have been exaggerating. We really did carve them open so many times."
Of Freddie Kanoute, who could have scored a hat-trick, Harry said:
"Freddie did some great things today. His movement, his strength, everything but his finish was there today. He had two great chances that he should have scored from.
"I was well pleased with his all round performance apart from sticking the ball in the back of the net. He's got everything; pace, good, quick feet for such a big fella of 6"4'. He's good in the air and I felt he was a real threat to them."
As West Ham moved two places up the table to thirteenth, Harry said:
"We keep going onwards but whether we'll keep going upwards, only time will tell. I've said all along, and it gets boring, but we've played well all year. I'd be the first to say if we play badly as I did when we had a dire game at Derby on Monday. However today's second half was fantastic entertainment."
Of Paolo's cheeky penalty which sealed the scoreline, Harry commented:
"He does what he feels and if he gets a penalty I think he'd do that even if it was at 1-0. He's got the confidence and that's what great players do when they're confident in themselves. "Joe would also do that but not because Paolo has. I've been watching him play since he was 11 years old and he was trying things that were pretty outrageous then, but that's why they're so special, because they're not afraid to try it."
* The U17's drew 2-2 against Southampton with Craig Saunders and Daryl McMahon scoring the goals for West Ham.