Hot Hammer Hines humbles Villans

04 November 2009 22:11
Hines fired home after a fine run by Scott Parker as the game looked to be heading for a draw.[LNB]Mark Noble had put the struggling home side in front from the penalty spot in first-half injury time.[LNB]England goalkeeper Robert Green then saved Ashley Young's 49th minute spot-kick before the Villa winger atoned for his error with a curling 25-yard equaliser two minutes later.[LNB]The win lifted the home side out of the relegation zone and into 16th place while Villa, who had Habib Beye sent off late on, remained seventh.[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.[LNB]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]In the 22nd minute Villa's Gabriel Agbonlahor brought another fine save from Green when he let fly with an angled drive from the left side of the penalty area.[LNB]Villa were now in the ascendancy and a cross from the lively Young was headed over the bar at the near post by Agbonlahor.[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.[LNB]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.[LNB]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.[LNB]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]None 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.[LNB]The England goalkeeper dived low to his left to parry it to safety to the delight of home fans.[LNB]But their euphoria was shortlived 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.[LNB]But it was West Ham who grabbed the decider when Hines fired Parker's pass into the roof of the net.[LNB][LNB]

Source: Team_Talk