23rd September, 2007

KB: KUMB; HM Hammers Mad; ST Sunday Times; SE Sunday Express; SM Sunday Mirror; OB Observer;
DM Daily Mirror; GU Guardian; TM Times; HD Hammers Diary; SK Sky; DE Daily Express

SA Sanchoz; CO Coley; IFO If Only; BF Bishops Finger; BU Bumpkin; BH Bonehead;
WH WestLondonHammer; AD Arch Dandy; HS Hammer Scout; HN Houston

West Ham v Newcastle United: Video Highlights

Sky Sports: West Ham levelled in the 32nd minute when Carlton Cole beat Claudio Cacapa in the air and Dean Ashton capitalised with a sweet finish into the bottom right corner. Newcastle's lead was restored four minutes before the break as Viduka bundled the ball home from close range after a terrific run by N'Zogbia. Michael Owen was withdrawn early in the second half after appearing to aggravate his groin injury, before Newcastle pulled two goals clear through N'Zogbia after 76 minutes. West Ham battled hard in an attempt to get back into the game but Newcastle's defence was considerably tighter than their own and they could do little as they slipped to their first defeat since the opening day of the season. (23rd September, 2007)

BBC Sport: James Milner laid the ball back to N'Zogbia who whipped in a cross from the left flank and Viduka got in front of Ferdinand and crashed a near-post header past Robert Green and into the bottom of the net. That goal should have provided the perfect platform for Newcastle but it was the Hammers, who adopted a more direct approach in the absence of the injured Craig Bellamy, who began to get on top. Mark Noble was once again impressive in the heart of the Hammers midfield and a typical driving run almost bought an equaliser but Steve Harper tipped his fierce 20-yard strike away for a corner.... A slip by Claudio Cacapa then almost let Carlton Cole in and the warning signs were there for the home side.... And for a manager who built a reputation on being defensively organised and maximising set-pieces, Sam Allardyce will have been furious about the manner of West Ham's equaliser. Neill hurled in a long throw which Ashton nodded up in the air and Cole showed excellent strength before flicking the ball on to Ashton who had continued his run and volleyed in from six yards. (23rd September, 2007)

Hammers Mad: West Ham worked their way back into contention and Mark Noble cutting in from the left brought an excellent save from Harper. The visitors severely tested United's lack of height in defence with high balls and it paid dividends after 32 minutes. A long Lucas Neill throw was won by Ashton and was headed back to him from Cole and the Hammers' number nine volleyed into the net from six yards. Ashton's equaliser lasted just nine minutes before the N'Zogbia-Viduka combination doubled up again to restore the home side's lead. N'Zogbia outpaced Bowyer down the left and whipped in a back-post cross that the alert Viduka bundled over the line. (23rd September, 2007)

Daily Telegraph: After Harper denied Carlton Cole with a point-blank save, the powerful Dean Ashton bolstered his England chances by volleying past Harper in the 32nd minute for his second goal in consecutive games. The peroxide blond was head and shoulders above opposing defenders, holding off David Rozehnal to win Lucas Neill's long throw, then reacting quickest to volley the ball beyond Harper from six yards after Cole had won the next aerial challenge. His good work was undone four minutes before half-time as West Ham's defence was caught out again when Rozehnal's clearance fell kindly to N'Zogbia, who darted forward, beating Lee Bowyer before finding the unmarked Viduka who restored Newcastle's lead with a close-range finish... Freddie Ljungberg replaced Hayden Mullins to invigorate the Hammers and the Swede's introduction almost yielded an equaliser, but Harper expertly turned away Bowyer's volley following a move initiated by the former Arsenal player. (Rob Stewart, 24th September, 2007)

Daily Mirror: Goals from Viduka in the second and 40th minutes and a 76thminute tap-in by Charles N'Zogbia clinched the points after Dean Ashton had underlined his England hopes with a levelling goal in the first half. The Hammers, however, felt they should have snatched something, with boss Alan Curbishley claiming they were the better team going forward for long periods, only for defending to "cost us"....Hammers fought back level after having a good proportion of the play. Lucas Neill's long throw caused trouble at the near post with Ashton winning the first ball and then Carlton Cole rising to head back into Ashton's path six yards out. (Simon Bird, 24th September, 2007)

The Times: West Ham’s rugged attacking duo of Dean Ashton and Carlton Cole caused some disquiet to the home defence, which failed to clear the danger three times in the scrappy preamble to the equaliser. Cole was twice permitted to get his head on to Lucas Neill’s long throw in the 32nd minute before Ashton speared his volley beyond Steve Harper. “We faded midway through the first half and became a bit scared,” Allardyce said. “We became reactive rather than proactive.” Failings were shared freely. Before this fixture, West Ham could boast the most niggardly defensive away record this season, but that achievement was surrendered. “You can’t defend like that,” Alan Curbishley, the West Ham manager, said. “We feel a bit down because I actually thought we were the better side. We could and should have got something from the game and if we’d applied ourselves better we probably would have.” Greater pleasure was taken from Ashton’s continuing rehabilitation. After his long absence with a broken ankle, the 23-year-old has now scored in consecutive matches and a return to the England fold may beckon, although Curbishley was less than enthusiastic about the prospect. Ashton sustained his injury while training with the national side. (George Caulkin, 24th September, 2007)

The Guardian: Dean Ashton, scorer of a superb volley for a sporadically sweet-passing West Ham side badly betrayed by suspect defending, finally seems to be well on his way back to full fitness after more than a year spent recuperating from an ankle broken while on England duty. It was Ashton's second goal in as many games and Alan Curbishley, who said he would not discourage McClaren from including his attacking talisman in England's next squad, said: "Dean is looking stronger and stronger and getting sharper with every game. Unlike Michael Owen he has had no setbacks during pre-season. I don't know if he is quite ready for international football yet but Steve has been watching our games and we'll just have to see what happens." It is, however, safe to assume there will not be two Ferdinands in the next national squad. A couple of years ago Anton enjoyed a purple patch which had people predicting he was poised to eclipse his brother Rio, but it proved a temporary peak and, here, the West Ham central defender was put firmly in his place by Viduka. The game had barely begun when the Australian, thinking faster than his minder, stole in front of Ferdinand at the near post and, connecting with Charles N'Zogbia's left-wing cross, angled a powerful header beyond Robert Green... Significantly, the same cast members were involved in Newcastle's second goal. Another N'Zogbia cross, Viduka muscling his way in front of his marker who, having lost him for a second time, saw the Australian stab a close-range shot into the bottom corner. In mitigation Ferdinand may have felt entitled to ask why Lucas Neill, Curbishley's right-back, was positioned in a completely different part of the pitch when N'Zogbia slalomed his way around the desperately back-pedalling Lee Bowyer before setting up that second strike. In between Viduka's goals Ashton reminded McClaren that Emile Heskey and Peter Crouch are not the only powerful English centre-forwards around. Connecting with Carlton Cole's header after Neill's long throw Ashton eluded Harper courtesy of a technically demanding but perfectly executed volley. That said, Newcastle's defending of the set piece left much to be desired. (Louise Taylor, 24th September, 2007)

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