WEST Ham United have taken all three points on their Premiership
return against Blackburn Rovers with a 3-1 win at Upton Park.
Second-half goals from Teddy Sheringham, Nigel Reo-Coker and Matty
Etherington cancelled out Andy Todd's first-half opener to
spark joyous scenes at Upton Park as Hammers claimed an opening day
win.
Packed with a crowd of 33,305 the Boleyn Ground crackled with
an atmosphere more than fit to mark West Ham United's return to
the Premier League. A rousing chorus of Bubbles greeted Alan
Pardew's Premier League stars as they took to the pitch for
what would be Hammers first Premiership appearance since May 2003.
Pards handed competitive claret and blue debuts to Roy Carroll in
goal, Danny Gabbidon and Paul Konchesky in defence and Yossi
Benayoun in midfield.
Hayden Mullins started in midfield while Christian Dailly captained
the side from right-back. Nigel Reo-Coker,
Benayoun and Matty Etherington made up the rest of the Hammers
engine room, while in attack Teddy Sheringham earned his first
start since April alongside Marlon Harewood.
Hammers didn't take long to get used to their new surroundings.
Only four minutes in fact, as Nigel Reo-Coker finished a
high-octane run with an incisive through ball that Marlon Harewood
surged onto. But the big striker could only drag his shot across
goal and wide with just Brad Friedel to beat.
For Blackburn, Steven Reid blazed a 25 yard effort well over on
nine minutes as the visitors displayed their usual competitive
verve without troubling debutant Roy Carroll.
On 11 minutes Paul Konchesky, making a dream debut for the Club he
has supported all his life, had to be alert to head a deflected
free-kick from Robbie Savage out for a corner.
The opening 15 minutes of West Ham United's Premiership return
were played at a frenetic pace, and Carroll had to be alert to
clear under pressure from Shefki Kuqi after Dailly's short
back-pass.
But on 18 minutes it was Blackburn who made the first breakthrough
of the game. Morten Gamst Pedersen put in a corner that Hammers
failed to clear, allowing Andy Todd to shoot low past Carroll and
give the visitors the lead.
Hammers looked to hit back straight away, Harewood's turn of
pace luring Savage into a horrible tackle that rightly earned the
Blackburn midfielder a booking. The Hammers striker then did well
to force his way to the by-line but his cross could only pick out
Lucas Neill who calmly chested back to his goalkeeper.
Savage was involved in more controversy minutes later when he
clashed quite legitamately with Konchesky on the by-line and
went crashing into the advertising boards in front of the Centenary
Stand.
On 34 minutes a precise through-ball from Sheringham released
Harewood, who beat the on-rushing Friedel to the ball on the edge
of the box. Forced wide and with the Blackburn goalkeeper
hopelessly out of position Harewood tried to cross, but could only
find Andy Todd, who cleared the danger.
Moments later Matty Etherington's low pass found Sheringham
with time and space just outside the box, but his shot was saved by
Friedel down low to his left.
The Blackburn goalkeeper then did well to hold onto Reo-Coker's
inswinging cross from the left with Etherington sliding in, before
a dipping 20 yard shot from Sheringham edged just wide of
Friedel's left-hand post.
With five minutes of the half remaining Konchesky crossed low from
the left for Benayoun who slid in and distracted Friedel enough for
the ball to come back off the Blackburn 'keeper. The ball broke
loose for Sheringham but his low drive was blocked by a desperate
melee of visiting defenders on the penalty spot.
Hammers finished the half with quite a flurry, but there was no way
through a stubborn Blackburn defence and Alan Pardew's men went
in after their first 45 minutes of the season trailing 1-0.
HT: 0-1
West Ham United came out for the second-half and within a minute of
the re-start Alan Pardew's men were back on level terms to the
delight of the Upton Park crowd.
Yossi Benayoun picked up the ball on the right and went on a
jinking run, cutting inside to feed Teddy Sheringham and after the
ball deflected off the foot of a Rovers defender, Teddy drilled his
finish low past Friedel to make it 1-1.
Moments later Marlon Harewood had a snap shot from the edge of the
box fly wide, as Alan Pardew's men responded to a crescendo of
noise from the Hammers faithful and upped the tempo of this match.
On 52 minutes, and with the Boleyn Ground on its
feet, Etherington powered past Lucas Neill on the left and cut
in a low cross that found Sheringham arriving, but his faint touch
could only deflect it wide of Friedel's goal.
Mark Hughes' response to West Ham's rampant dominance was
to introduce defender Vratislav Gresko for striker Shefki Kuqi as
he decided that a point might well satisfy his team from their trip
to East London.
In the 59th minute Paul Konchesky was called upon to make his
second goal-line clearance of the match, heading Andy Todd's
effort away from danger at the right-hand post.
But Hammers were in full flow by now and just past the hour mark
took a deserved lead through a piece of individual brilliance from
Nigel Reo-Coker.
The ball was worked to the midfielder 20 yards out and dead centre
of goal. Rovers defence backed away and Reo-Coker pulled the
trigger with sublime results as he sent a magnificent drive
rocketing into the top left corner of the net, leaving Fridel with
no chance and sending Upton Park wild.
Reo-Coker was driving Hammers forward and on 65 minutes his pass
found Harewood just inside the box, but he pulled his shot wide.
On 71 minutes a full-blooded display from Sheringham came to an end
when he was replaced by Shaun Newton, but the standing ovation
received by the former England striker will have rung in his ears
for some time afterwards.
Hammers were in control and underlined their superiority with 11
minutes remaining when Benayoun picked up a missed placed pass on
the touchline and squared the ball for Matty Etherington who
arrived to complete the simplest of tap-ins and make it 3-1.
The goal unleashed an incredible atmosphere inside the Boleyn
Ground, which overcame substitute Paul Dickov with 10 minutes
remaining when his late challenge on Konchesky earned the striker a
straight red-card.
Mark Noble came on to get a taste of the Premiership action on 83
minutes as Hammers began to enjoy themselves against a ragged
looking Rovers.
With just two minutes remaining Andy Todd hit a volley straight at
Roy Carroll, before Bellamy sped inside Konchesky to send a shot
skimming just wide of the Northern Ireland international's
right hand post.
Hammers saw out the three added minutes with possession football
and might have added a fourth had Noble been able to get onto the
end of Reo-Coker's pass or if Newton had kept his shot down
from just inside the box.
Still, Alan Pardew's men had done more than enough and the
final whistle was met with fantastic celebrations at Upton Park as
Hammers recorded three points on their return to Premier League
football with a magnificent 3-1 win over Blackburn Rovers.
Hammers Opening Day Heroics
13th August 2005