Source: SKY_Sports
Hines the hero for Hammers
// A bit of a hack but it works// The article snippet is wrapped onto a second line, even when #article-sub is emptyif( $("div#article-sub").children().length == 0 ) {$("div#article-sub").remove();} Substitute Zavon Hines secured a dramatic 2-1 win for West Ham over 10-man Aston Villa at Upton Park.[LNB] The young forward wriggled free in the penalty area in injury time after good work from Scott Parker and he lifted the ball past Brad Friedel to send Hammers fans into raptures.[LNB]Villa finished the game with 10 men after Habib Beye saw red for two bookable offences - the second for a challenge on Jonathan Spector with his first yellow coming on the stroke of half time when he brought down Hines to concede a penalty.[LNB]Beye looked to have got a touch on the ball but referee Steve Bennett pointed to the spot and Mark Noble finished emphatically into the top corner.[LNB]Bennett awarded a second spot-kick in the second half, this time to Villa, but Ashley Young's effort was saved brilliantly by Robert Green. However, the winger equalised shortly afterwards after his cross looped all the way over Green and into the net.[LNB]West Ham suffered an early injury blow when Herita Ilunga was forced out of the action in the sixth minute. He was replaced by Jonathan Spector.[LNB]West Ham started brighter than their visitors but despite their early possession, failed to take advantage. Scott Parker tested Brad Friedel in the 11th minute with a 25-yard drive but the American goalkeeper was equal to the task and gathered safely.[LNB]Green was alert enough to deal with a header from John Carew in the 17th minute but Villa were now beginning to exert some real pressure on the home defence.[LNB]Green pulled off a magnificent save seconds later when West Ham half cleared a corner and Stiliyan Petrov volleyed the ball towards goal from fully 30 yards.[LNB]The ball took a deflection on its way towards the top corner but somehow Green managed to get his fingertips in the way.[LNB]SaveIn the 22nd minute Villa's Gabriel Agbonlahor brought another fine save from[LNB]Green when he let fly with an angled drive from the left side of the penalty area.[LNB]It got worse for the Hammers in the 31st minute when England international Carlton Cole collected an injury and had to be replaced by Zavon Hines.[LNB]In the 38th minute Green had to be at his best again to keep out Carew. Villa's build-up was incisive as Emile Heskey dropped the ball on to Carew's feet on the edge of the six-yard box.[LNB]The Villa striker turned to get his shot away but found Green alert to the danger at the near post.[LNB]But West Ham were given a penalty in first-half injury time when Beye brought down Hines.Beye was booked and Noble sent his spot-kick into the roof of the net to give the home side the lead against the run of play.[LNB]Villa replaced Emile Heskey with former West Ham midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker at half-time.Reo-Coker's appearance was met with the expected derision from the Upton Park faithful.[LNB]In the 49th minute referee Steve Bennett was at the centre of controversy when he awarded Villa penalty.[LNB]Manuel Da Costa appeared to have headed the ball clear but Bennett clearly thought his feet had come into contact with James Collins.[LNB]AppealsNone of the other Villa players appealed for the spot-kick but Bennett waved away West Ham's furious appeals.[LNB]But justice was seen to be done for the home side when Young's penalty was superbly kept out by Green. The England goalkeeper dived low to his left to parry it to safety to the delight of home fans.[LNB]But their euphoria was short-lived when Young atoned for his penalty miss with a superb equaliser in the 51st minute.[LNB]There seemed little danger to the home defence when Young collected the ball on the left flank midway in the West Ham half.[LNB]But the Villa winger sent a curling shot over the head of Green and into the top corner to put the visitors on level terms.[LNB]Hines was the most impressive striker in the West Ham ranks and he went close in the 72nd minute with an angled drive that flew just over the bar.[LNB]An angled drive from Hines brought a fine save from Friedel in the 80th minute as the home side pressed for a winner.[LNB]Beye was then sent off in the 84th minute for a second bookable offence, a foul on Spector, to leave Villa down to 10 men for the remainder of the game.[LNB]Green made a superb save to deny Villa a winner in injury time when he turned a 20-yard drive from Young around the post. But it was West Ham who grabbed the decider when Hines fired Parker's pass into the roof of the net.[LNB][LNB]West Ham UnitedTeam StatisticsAston Villa2Goals111st Half Goals07Shots on Target88Shots off Target45Blocked Shots76Corners1412Fouls162Offsides32Yellow Cards30Red Cards175.1Passing Success73.319Tackles1884.2Tackles Success77.856.3Possession43.750Territorial Advantage50
