West Ham 0 Ipswich 1: Late Bowyer strike sinks Hammers

28 September 2011 07:13
Lee Bowyer kept up his record of scoring against West Ham in every season since leaving Upton Park in 2009, marking his latest return with new club Ipswich by grabbing an 89th-minute winner. [LNB]At least the stadium announcer managed to conjure up a bit of gallows humour after West Ham blew their chance to go top of the Championship, opting to blast out Rainbow's soft-rock classic Since You've Been Gone moments after the late heartbreaker from Bowyer.[LNB]In truth, it was no more than Ipswich deserved as they delivered a birthday present for manager Paul Jewell, who turns 47. [LNB] Enlarge Mobbed: Town players celebrate after Bowyer's late winner at Upton Park[LNB] [LNB]MATCH FACTSWEST HAM: Green, O'Brien, Tomkins, Faye, McCartney, Bentley, Nolan, Noble (Faubert 90), Lansbury (Collison 64), Baldock, Cole (Carew 64).[LNB]Subs Not Used: Boffin, Diop.[LNB]Booked: Lansbury.[LNB]IPSWICH: Stockdale, Edwards, Collins, Sonko, Cresswell, Andrews, Bullard, Leadbitter, Bowyer, Chopra (Delaney 90), Scotland (Ellington 85).[LNB]Subs Not Used: Lee-Barrett, Emmanuel-Thomas, Murphy.[LNB]Booked: Bowyer.[LNB]Goals: Bowyer 89.[LNB]Att: 27,709[LNB]Ref: Keith Stroud (Hampshire).[LNB]Click for the latest Championship table, fixtures and results[LNB]Despite having been on a sevenmatch unbeaten run, West Ham struggled to put away Peterborough last time out and there was a distinct lack of cutting edge on show once again. [LNB]Sam Allardyce had warned that any side who suffer eight defeats this season will struggle to gain automatic promotion. [LNB]That is two lives gone already, West Ham having lost on the opening day of the season to Cardiff.[LNB]And there were no excuses from Allardyce, who criticised his players for conceding late on yet again. [LNB]'I thought we learned our lesson but clearly we haven't,' said the West Ham manager. 'I keep telling the players about respecting the point, and how important it is. If we want to go where we want to go it isn't good enough.[LNB]'We might have just let a little bit of complacency creep in. We got betterin the second half but in terms of goalscoring opportunities, that was aworry for us.' [LNB]On this evidence there is no reason why Ipswich cannot get themselves in the promotion picture.[LNB]After thumping Coventry 3-0 and earning a creditable goalless draw at Middlesbrough at the weekend, Jewell opted to name an unchanged side for the third game in succession. [LNB] Enlarge Close: Bowyer saw this effort fly just wide of Green's goal[LNB]The plan certainly worked. Buoyed by that upturn in performance, it was the visitors who set about taking thegame to their hosts, Michael Chopratesting goalkeeper Robert Green inside five minutes with a close range volley from a Carlos Edwards cross. [LNB]Ipswich stayed on the front foot for most of the first half and Bowyer was desperately unlucky to see his curling shot strike the right-hand post. [LNB]The groans that accompanied West Ham's descent into the Championship last season began to resurface as the half wore on but a switch to 4-3-3 finally saw Allardyce's side begin to ask some more serious questions of the Ipswich defence as half-time approached. [LNB] Up for it: Ipswich Town's Keith Andrews is challenged by West Hams Carlton Cole (right) [LNB]But even as the home side continued to threaten after the break, too often their players chose the wrong option and after weathering the mini-storm, Ipswich were once again taking the game to their opponents.[LNB]A share of the spoils looked to be the most likely outcome, but Keith Andrews' header from a corner by Jimmy Bullard, another ex-Hammer, struck the post and as West Ham's defence failed to clear, Bowyer reacted to slam the ball through Green'slegs. [LNB]Delighted at his team's return to form, Jewell said: 'It's a great birthday present.[LNB] Birthday present: Ipswich manager Paul Jewell welcomed the gift of three points[LNB]'We knew we had to do a job on the crowd first, try to keep the ball. Give credit to our players, they wereterrific, especially in the first half. A month ago we were bereft of ideas, but the confidence is there now.'[LNB] Check out our brilliant Football League blogClick here for the latest Championship table, fixtures and resultsDerby 1 Barnsley 1: Rams battle to point but miss out on moving into top spotBrighton 1 Crystal Palace 3: Eagles swoop late to claim bragging rights[LNB]

Source: Daily_Mail