Zola happy with Hammers stars

02 May 2009 19:00
West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola hailed his side's blend of youth and experience after their 1-0 win over Stoke at the Britannia Stadium. Upton Park has been a topic of conversation all season as the Italian boss continues to bring through academy players who are making instant impressions in the Premier League. But it was the slightly less youthful Diego Tristan who claimed the win for the Hammers, as the 33-year-old's free-kick against Stoke sailed past the flat-footed Thomas Sorensen. "It was a fantastic goal. He's been playing quite well and it was just the reward he deserved," Zola said of his Spanish striker. "You need a bunch of young players to give you enthusiasm, to give you freshness, but you also need experienced players who can guide them. "So far it is working very well and we are very pleased." European football West Ham travelled to the Britannia Stadium knowing they needed a win to keep their dreams of European football alive. But they also knew Tony Pulis' Stoke outfit would be no walk-over as they push for more points to cement their place in the Premier League for another season. "You know that when you have to come to this pitch you have to work very hard, so everybody has done," Zola said. "In the end and we got three points and I'm very, very delighted." The win means West Ham are pushing for a place in next season's Europa League after a consistently impressively season. Confident The former Chelsea striker has just extended his stay at Upton Park and is confident his side can achieve the dream of European football. He said: "For us it is very, very much realistic. We're working hard every day to make it happen and we never give up. "It was easy today, after the defeat that we had last game against Chelsea, to come here and play lax but we showed everybody that we are determined to get there. "Defensively we've been fantastic throughout the season. There is not enough words to say how pleased I am for them. "They work very hard, they work as a unit all the time and they've given us a lot of success."

Source: SKY_Sports