West Ham tame Wolves to climb out of bottom three
Posted Sunday, January 02, 2011 by YAHOO Sport
LONDON (AFP) - West Ham United climbed out of the relegation zone and into 15th place after a crucial 2-0 win over fellow strugglers Wolves at Upton Park on Saturday.
Avram Grant's side started 2011 at the bottom of the Premier League but the Hammers will be hoping this New Year's Day win proves the turning point in their dispiriting campaign.
They were gifted the lead through Ronald Zubar's own goal early in the second half and Freddie Sears sealed the points with his first goal since he netted on his West Ham debut in March 2008.
Mick McCarthy's Wolves had won at Liverpool in mid-week, but they crashed back down to earth with a bump and replaced West Ham at the foot of the table.
Wolves went close when Stephen Hunt almost curled a corner from the right inside the near post, but Frederic Piquionne headed over his own bar.
Another Wolves corner from Hunt saw Sylvan Ebanks-Blake head straight at Robert Green.
West Ham gradually took control after that nervous start. Carlton Cole should have scored after captain Scott Parker threaded a pass through the Wolves defence, but he shot woefully wide of goal.
Grant's men went close to taking the lead when Richard Stearman cleared Sears' shot off the line.
There was another flurry from Wolves as Green kept out a crisp left-footed strike from Stephen Ward before Nenad Milijas headed over from close range.
However, West Ham took the lead in unusual circumstances in the 51st minute.
Piquionne sprinted down the right and sent over a cross which Cole ought to have smashed past goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey.
Cole completely missed his kick but instead the ball hit Zubar and trickled off the defender's knee into the bottom corner.
Matthew Upson almost increased West Ham's lead when he headed Parker's corner against the bar.
Moments later it was Wolves' turn to hit the woodwork through an Ebanks-Blake header.
That proved costly for Wolves as young striker Sears turned Tal Ben Haim's cross past Hennessey to seal the points in the 79th minute.
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