Reserves Secure First Win At Pompey

TWO goals from Bobby Zamora and a Chris Cohen penalty secured West Ham United Reserves' first win of the season with a 3-1 victory at Portsmouth.

The Hammers victory owed everything to a stirring second-half fight-back from Kevin Keen's men after they trailed 1-0 at the break.

The first-half was a fairly even affair with both sides carving out chances. New boy Jeremie Aliadiere looked lively in the Hammers attack, his pace and close control a problem for the Pompey defence.

But it was the home side that made the first breakthrough of the game with 20 minutes gone. It was former Hammer Svetoslav Todorov that made the goal, latching onto a through-ball and squaring unselfishly for James Keene to slot the ball past Matt Reed.

Trailing by the game's only goal at the break, Hammers upped the tempo in the second-half. Conditions were made more difficult by a torrential rain-shower that lashed down during the half-time interval, making the pitch slick and dangerous under foot.

It was Kevin Keen's Hammers that handled the elements better however as the visitors went on to produce a dominat second-half performance.

West Ham levelled the scores on 57 minutes when Shaun Newton charged to the by-line and crossed low for Zamora who stabbed the ball home from close range.

Ten minutes later and Hammers took the lead when a Kyel Reid corner was blatantly handled inside the area by a Portsmouth defender. Chris Cohen, making his first appearance of the season after recovering from injury, stepped up to take the kick and fired home to make it 2-1.

Hammers comeback was complete on 81 minutes when the impressive David Cowley fed the ball to Zamora and he shrugged off two challenges to rifle a low, left-foot shot into the back of the net and make it 3-1 at the final whistle.

WHU: Reed; Henry, Clarke, Cohen, Ward, Stokes, Newton, Cowley (Welsh 87), Zamora (Davidson 83), Aliadiere (Andrews 45), Reid. Subs unused: Kemal (GK), White.

By Tony Fowles, Ironworks Gazette