Premier League - West Ham down Sunderland

Eurosport - Sat, 04 Apr 21:06:00 2009

Sunderland slipped further into relegation trouble after goals from youngsters James Tomkins and Junior Stanislas saw West Ham earn a 2-0 win at Upton Park.

FOOTBALL West Ham United's Junior Stanislas (L) runs at Sunderland's Danny Collins during their Premier League football match at Upton Park in London. Stanislas and James Tomkins hit the net as West Ham left Sunderland just one place and three points clea - 0

Stanislas, making his first start for the Hammers, tapped home the opener on the stroke of half-time while Tomkins headed home a second just seven minutes into the second half.

Ricky Sbragia's side slipped to 17th as they failed to win for the sixth game in a row - and things do not get any easier for them with their next match being against league leaders Manchester United.

West Ham move up to seventh with the victory, which keeps their hopes of a Europa League spot very much alive.

The victory came at a price for Gianfranco's Zola's team, with Jonathan Spector being stretchered off; however it was later revealed that it was just a concussion and not a shoulder injury, as first feared.

Tomkins showed his danger from set-plays after just two minutes as he headed a corner wide, but after that Sunderland enjoyed more of the possession in the opening period.

Grant Leadbitter and Djibril Cisse both forced Robert Green into smart saves from distance but in the main the Black Cats were lacking in ideas in midfield.

The Hammers were hardly setting the world alight at the other end either, although they could have taken the lead when David Di Michele chested down and fizzed a half-volley from 30 yards marginally wide.

The hosts looked much better after they took the lead two minutes before the break, the move starting back with a quick throw from keeper Green.

Luis Boa Morte eventually found the ball at his feet in the box and he showed great vision to roll it across for 19-year-old South Londoner Stanislas to tap home his first goal for the club.

Sunderland's uphill challenge then became mountainous in the 52nd minute when Tomkins was again allowed to get his head on a corner - and this time the ball nestled into the net.

Remarkably, young centre-half Tomkins - who had never previously scored for Sunderland - could have had a hat-trick as he again directed a header on target from a corner; this time the returning Craig Gordon saved.

At the other end, Sunderland again failed to create any clear-cut chances as Green dealt with timid efforts from distance.

Kenwyne Jones was introduced immediately following the second West Ham goal, but his impact was minimal.

Spector's nasty fall led to eight minutes of injury-time, and Leadbitter had a shot cleared off the line by replacement James Collins during that period.

However West Ham never looked like losing once they went in front - and Sunderland's future in the Premier League will not be secured if they continue to perform in this way.

Seán Fay / Eurosport

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  1. p.s damned right I'm fuc+ing desperate,you lot have­ had longer to get used to the idea of relegation than­ us.

    From jack torrance, on Sun 5 Apr 1:25PM

  2. It's open to conjecture if either team deserves to­ stay up,but I agree that they will

    From jack torrance, on Sun 5 Apr 1:24PM

  3. Only got a draw against that same pub team didn't­ you?

    From jack torrance, on Sun 5 Apr 1:23PM

  4. FARTY TOWELS

    From jack torrance, on Sun 5 Apr 1:19PM

  5. They scored 3 against wba in an away win - they will­ win away next week against the pub-team too . . . .­ mark my words, absolute banker.

    From cameron w, on Sun 5 Apr 12:29PM

  6. Jack: do the math.
    We only need to win 1-0, cause your­ lot's gonna lose at least 0-2 - that's the GD­ sorted! Shearer will NEVER be turned on; that i can­ guarantee you. You are sounding desperate Jack;­ honestly, it is too close to call and i for one truly­ hope it is hull or pompey who grab that remaining place­ . . . . and NEITHER of us.
    ps
    i'd much sooner have­ our run-in than yours.

    From cameron w, on Sun 5 Apr 12:27PM

  7. look at the bright side though,M.O.T.D just got a whole­ lot more interesting

    From jack torrance, on Sun 5 Apr 9:10AM

  8. Owen will get injured,Shearer will lose the dressing­ room with his boring,monotone dialogues and the­ notoriously fickle NUFC fans will turn on him, within­ four games he'll go from hero to zero.
    It's all­ too predictable.

    From jack torrance, on Sun 5 Apr 9:06AM

  9. farty towels

    From jack torrance, on Sun 5 Apr 9:05AM

  10. Good to be back breathing 'clean air' again,the­ smell down there reminds me of smoggy.Watched our game­ via a feed from Bulgaria,very poor,defended like­ ret+rds having dominated most of the play,Leadbitter­ our best player by far,but what is Murphy doing in the­ team let alone on the pitch?NUFC also played­ sh@t,Owen's goal was over the line so I think the­ linesman got that one right ha ha.No,seriously,Alan­ Shearer was a fantastic player but as a manager?how can­ the world's only living personality donor manage a­ football team?The man makes Bob R sound interesting for­ goodness sake.No personality no strategy no nounce,you­ defend and get a point against teams like Chealski,gung­ ho football pleases the rabble but there's a time­ and a place.Don't think your lot will go above us­ next week Cameron can't remember the last time they­ scored 3 goals in a game,anyway I've paid £28 to­ see that game so the bast+rds better put a performance­ in.

    From jack torrance, on Sun 5 Apr 8:50AM

  11. Hope you had a good time in stinky old London by the­ way. Methinks our clubs will be swapping places next­ week me awld mucker: now then, who's run-in looks­ the most dodgiest!!!

    From cameron w, on Sat 4 Apr 7:43PM

  12. Jack, like i said a couple of weeks ago, 'welcome­ to the relegation dogfight'!

    From cameron w, on Sat 4 Apr 7:42PM

  13. My friends think I'm a bit of a P.R.A.T for being a­ Hammers fan, but I'd like to see the premier league­ and the World Cup etc decided on goal difference not­ points. Then Chelsea would win and I'd be crying in­ me beer.

    From laterron, on Sat 4 Apr 6:41PM

  14. If this is the best RS can do the sooner he either­ returns to coaching (which he happens to be damn good­ at) or gets shiwn the door, the better. No single­ person is bigger than the club, and if he had a single­ ounce of moral fibre he'd leave now, instead of­ relying on the likes of Newcastle, Boro and West Brom­ to keep our EPL ststus intact.

    From Paperboy, on Sat 4 Apr 5:39PM

  15. safc are going to draw are get a win like 2-1 cisse AND­ RICHDERSON TO SCORE OUR GOAL COME THE­ LADS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CISSE IS THE­ BEST

    From jonno.roberts20, on Sat 4 Apr 2:45PM

  16. West Ham United FC are to sue the FA because­ Cole's­ injury cost them a place in Europe.
    The­ players will­ also looking for compensation a spokesman­ for players­ said Coley's injury is going to cost­ us money so­ we're going to sue.

    From Ronsenglish, on Fri 3 Apr 7:06AM

  17. SHEARER!!!!!!
    SHEARER!!!!!!
    We are staying up and your­ no mark club are going back where they belong, back­ where they have been for so long now - the second tier­ of english football. SMB's

    From Tony K, on Thu 2 Apr 3:33PM
  18. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    3.match fact.....west ham will definitely win, Tony­ K-now mates again eh!

    Mr lonely

    Even with the­ arrival of Lionel Blair sorry "Red Adair" on­ your big day, you still have the time to post on a­ Sunderland page.I would suggest you need to get out a­ whole lot more, but its suddenly occurred to me that­ your probably incarcerated somewhere, Well here's­ to you never getting out.

    PS, I suppose your­ definitely going to beat Chelski, Liverpool and Man ure­ too!

    Laugh-I will be pissing myself even more when you­ go down, just WTF is the Sheep's barber thinking­ about.

    Mike Ashley must be a Mackem mustn't he,­ ~~~Ha Ha Ha~~~

    From PWilson, on Wed 1 Apr 11:29PM

  19. match fact.....west ham will definately win

    From Tony K, on Wed 1 Apr 8:38PM

  20. I'd love to see a win for the Cats, but in all­ honesty the policy of forgiving underr-achieving­ players by keeping them on the team sheet just­ doesn't work!

    From Paperboy, on Wed 1 Apr 1:42PM
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