TEDDY Sheringham's goal secured a Boxing Day victory for
Alan Pardew's Hammers as they saw off Nottingham Forest 3-2 at
Upton Park.
Matty Etherington and Sheringham had given West Ham a 2-0 lead at
half-time, but after Forest had fought back to level in the
second-half, Teddy's header secured three festive points for
the Hammers.
Alan Pardew made two changes to the side that lost at Preston,
Deepdale goalscorer Nigel Reo-Coker replacing the injured Carl
Fletcher in midfield and Malky Mackay returning to the defence in
place of Darren Powell, who returned to Crystal Palace this week.
Despite being separated by 16 places in the Championship, history
suggested this would be a well-matched contest. In the 101 previous
League meetings between the two sides, each had won 38 times, and
both West Ham and Forest had gone two games without a win.
Indeed, the game began evenly on a chilly afternoon in East London.
Marlon Harewood threatened early on for the Hammers, flashing the
ball across the Forest goal only to see it emerge unmet on the far
side of the box.
Forest had the ball in the net after ten minutes, Michael Dawson
heading in Alan Rogers' cross, but the goal was ruled out for a
blatant foul on Stephen Bywater.
The incident stirred up a cold Upton Park crowd, and Alan
Pardew's men responded. Steve Lomas drilled a shot just wide
from the edge of the area, before Harewood shrugged off Dawson and
fired in a snap shot that was pushed away by Forest goalkeeper Paul
Gerrard. Matty Etherington steered his follow-up effort over the
bar, much to Gerrard's relief.
However, there was nowhere to hide for Gerrard just two minutes
later, when West Ham took the lead. John Thompson played the ball
back to his goalkeeper, but Etherington chased down the back-pass
and got his reward when Gerrard's hammered clearance rebounded
off him into the net.
With a goal scored and nerves settled, Alan Pardew's men began
to take control. Harewood bundled his way through the Forest
backline with half an hour gone and nipped the ball past Gerrard.
Gasps rippled around the Boleyn Ground as the ball rolled
goalwards, replaced by sighs as it trickled the wrong side of the
post.
Two minutes later Teddy Sheringham saw his free-kick well saved by
a full stretch Gerrard, but there was nothing the goalkeeper could
do when Teddy doubled West Ham's advantage after 38 minutes.
Matty Etherington swung over a corner from the left, Forest's
defence did their best to avoid the ball, allowing Sheringham time
and space to smash it into the roof of the net.
At the other end, West Ham's defence coped well with the
probing Forest attack leaving Bywater with barely a save to make.
The same could not be said about the over-worked Gerrard, who saved
well at his near post from Harewood as the half drew to a close.
Still, Alan Pardew's men left the field at half-time with a
commanding 2-0 lead.
HT: 2-0
The Hammers came out for the second-half looking determined to
finish Forests' resistance. They looked certain to add to their
lead when Gerrard could only shovel Harewood's shot into
the path of Sheringham, but the ball wouldn't quite drop for
the former England striker and he could only glance it wide.
Harewood had a great chance himself moments later, bursting onto a
long-ball before unleashing a thunderous drive that Gerrard did
well to tip over.
Dominating in attack and defence, Upton Park was stunned when
Forest pulled a goal back after 65 minutes. Kris Commons, a
substitute for former Hammer Andy Impey just moments earlier, swung
in a cross from the right that was headed down by Neil Harris and
stabbed home by David Johnson.
From nowhere, the visitors were suddenly back in the game. And two
minutes later the quick-fire comeback was complete, to the shock of
the 32,270 fans inside Upton Park.
Neil Harris' incisive through-ball split the Hammers defence
and set Johnson away. He raced onto the ball and buried a low shot
past Bywater.
Confidence boosted the visitors began to pressurise West Ham's
defence. Hayden Mullins replaced Anton Ferdinand on 71 minutes,
just before Neil Harris cut inside and blazed a shot over the bar.
With 76 minutes gone Gavin Williams, signed from Yeovil Town
earlier this month, replaced Luke Chadwick and his first
involvement in the claret and blue was to swing in a cross that
just eluded the circling Teddy Sheringham.
However, when Chris Powell crossed from the opposite left flank
with ten minutes left, Sheringham was found, and Alan Pardew's
men were back in front. Powell fought for a yard of space and
flighted the ball across for Sheringham, who rose above Dawson to
plant a header past Gerrard.
A delighted Hammers crowd roared their approval, and the shouting
barely had time to dissipate before Harewood twisted past the
Forest defence to set up Sheringham, who shot tamely at Gerrard.
The Forest 'keeper did well to smother at the feet of Harewood
soon after, before Stephen Bywater had to be alert to tip over Kris
Commons' swirling effort.
The visitors pushed hard for an equaliser in the closing stages,
but the Hammers held firm to secure Alan Pardew three vital points
for Christmas as they head into two away games at Rotherham and
Ipswich next week.