WEST Ham United have lost 3-1 to Reading at the Madjeski Stadium,
Teddy Sheringham's consolation goal in the second-half outshone
by a Dave Kitson hat-trick.
Alan Pardew made three changes from the side that lost to Preston.
Two of them were forced, Gavin Williams picking up an injury in
training and Tomas Repka beginning a three match suspension.
Fit-again Mark Noble and new signing from Wolves Shaun Newton were
the replacements, the latter making his West Ham debut.
Bobby Zamora, a scorer against Preston, was included ahead of Teddy
Sheringham, who dropped to a bench that included Luke Chadwick for
the first time since picking up a hamstring injury at Sheffield
United.
The players were welcomed by a crackling atmosphere inside the
Madjeski Stadium, where 4,000 Hammers fans had come to back Alan
Pardew's team.
Without a win since Boxing Day, Reading pushed forward early on and
were denied by the post after only four minutes. Midfielder Ricky
Newman's dipping 30 yard shot beat a stretching Stephen Bywater
to his left before bouncing back off the upright.
Marlon Harewood headed narrowly wide from Matty Etherington's
deep free-kick, but with 13 minutes gone a similar set-play at the
other end saw Reading take the lead. Their prolific marksman Dave
Kitson was the scorer, rising above Mullins to head home from Nicky
Shorey's free-kick.
Three minutes later Glen Little danced past two Hammers defenders,
before Steve Lomas intervened, before Kitson chased down a long
clearance and was only denied a route on goal by some strong Chris
Powell defending.
Chris Powell swung three dangerous crosses into the Reading box as
Hammers hunted an equaliser, but an off-target Harewood header was
their only noteworthy chance.
Then, with 27 minutes gone, the same Reading set-piece routine
undid West Ham's defence again. Shorey whipped a corner from
the right across the face of West Ham's goal and Kitson met it
with a venomous header that Bywater got a hand to but couldn't
claw out.
Just past the half hour mark Harewood header over from Mark
Noble's corner, before Dean Morgan broke away down the Reading
left, but lobbed the ball into Bywater's hands.
With half-time approaching Etherington's deflected drive from
25 yards caused a rare moment of panic for Reading goalkeeper
Marcus Hahnemann.
Quick and lively, Reading never looked like surrendering their 2-0
lead and at the half-time whistle Hammers were left with plenty of
work to do to avoid defeat.
HT: 0-2
In search of a way back into the game, Alan Pardew introduced
Luke Chadwick for the second-half, Carl Fletcher making way as the
Hammers reverted to a more classic looking four-man midfield.
There was certainly more urgency about the Hammers after the break,
epitomised by Chadwick, who might have done better with his effort
from the edge of the area that was hit straight at Hahnemann.
Kitson shot over at the near post after being put through by Steve
Sidwell, but backed by their magnificent travelling contingent,
Hammers were beginning to show their muscle.
Harewood tested Hahnemann's alertness with a stinging low shot
from 25 yards, but at the other end Mullins had to be alert to head
away from Kitson at the far post.
But with 57 minutes gone there was no stopping the Reading striker
as he pounced to secure his hat-trick and make it 3-0.
He worked hard for it, bursting into the Hammers box and firing a
shot that Bywater did well to parry. The Hammers 'keeper did
even better to block Kitson's follow-up from point-blank range,
but the Royals striker was alive and got up to fire home on the
turn.
Still West Ham's fans refused to be silenced and Etherington
almost gave them something to cheer with a thumping long-range
drive that whistled just wide of Hahnemann's right hand post.
But their team's chances of getting back into the game were
wasting away, and Reading look the more likely to score, Bywater
denying a close-range header from Morgan before coming out to make
a great block at the feet of Kitson.
A speculative volley from Mark Noble on 78 minutes was comfortably
dealt with by Hahnemann, before an acrobatic effort by Ivar
Ingimarsson forced Bywater to make a fine smothering block.
Hammers continued to press and pulled a goal back on 82 minutes
when Shaun Newton bundled in a cross that found its way through to
Marlon Harewood. His shot was blocked, but the ball broke to
substitute Teddy Sheringham, who powered a low drive beyond
Hahnemann.
Elliott Ward replaced Hayden Mullins for his League debut with
three minutes left, but playing up front to add some height to the
Hammers attack is hardly the way the big defender would have
envisaged his debut.
Defending well, Reading held out to claim a 3-1 win and with it
three valuable points.