Middlesbrough 0 West Ham 2
FREDDIE PIQUIONNE and Carlton Cole combined to keep West Ham flying high — and boss Sam Allardyce happy.
Piquionne, who secured a 2-1 win at Coventry two weeks ago, headed a ninth-minute opener before sub Cole sealed the deal.
And delighted Big Sam said: "We made a big statement here with the quality of our display.
"There's a lot of confidence. We are playing to our full potential.
"We won very comfortably against a team that hadn't lost a game here all season.
"We defended well and we exploited space, showing the right quality in the final third. It should have been all over before Cole scored.
"Six wins and a draw in the last seven — and the important thing is there is now a little gap between us and third place."
The Hammers did defend for their lives and in true Allardyce style hit the hosts on the break to make it four wins in a row and keep the pressure on leaders Southampton.
It sent Tony Mowbray's side crashing to their first home defeat since losing 3-0 in February against QPR.
Mowbray said: "They showed their Premier League experience. We have to take it on the chin.
"West Ham are big and strong and remind me of QPR last year. It's frustrating because we are better than we showed.
"We were insipid in the first 20 minutes and that's what I find so hard to take.
"We didn't show them they were coming up to the North-East and would face a real scrap."
Piquionne's headed opener came following a sweet move involving Matt Taylor and Mark Noble.
Boro's Scott McDonald wasted two brilliant chances before Cole added a stoppage-time second.
Allardyce added: "Watford where we won 4-0 was our best away performance of the season, so far, but this was not far behind.
"Performances were outstanding — we are a very happy bunch."
the mirror
Middlesbrough 0-2 West Ham: Big Sam's boys Hammer home superiority
Sam Allardyce's away game experts are in danger of making the Championship a two club race - after Frederic Piquionne and Carlton Cole clinched a comfortable victory.
Even against fourth places Boro, the Hammers were superior in all departments, clinching a fourth consecutive win. "A big statement," boss Sam Allardyce called this result.
Allardyce loves his stats, and the most pleasing is a run of 16 points out of a possible 18, with only one loss on their travels all season at main rivals Southampton.
It was more of the same at the Riverside, with a tough West Ham defence weathering squalls of attacks from Boro, but never really looking troubled.
If Allardyce's men keep up the same work rate, they will be home and dry back in the top flight. The gap with Boro, who consider themselves contenders is now eight points.
Allardyce said: "The run we are on and the confidence in the team is looking pretty good for us now. We missed big players today but performed like that and won against a team who had not lost at home.
"Fantastic and great performance and we are rolling on and on. We are now creating a gap between third and ourselves and gives confidence to keep performing like that. Watford was our best away game but this is close.
"Having four good strikers is a big plus. Piquionne and Cole have come up with the goods and played their part. But all around the squad it looks good because we are moving the team around, but the team keeps playing well.
"We keep our feet on the ground and enjoy our training. We are getting to know each other. It could be a big nine point week for us if we don't slip up against Burnley."
As for Tony Mowbray's side they will need to find a more ruthless streak to keep pace, although they did threaten during the second half with good possession.
Mowbray said: "West Ham have the best pedigree in the Championship and we needed a win to keep pace.
"But in the first 20 we never got going and were a goal down. We were insipid and didn't show we were making a game of it. They are a big strong side with Premier League players and we could feel that.
"We only huffed and puffed. We conceded a poor goal. They had one man in the box and scored with a free header.
"We didn't do enough, but they are good at grinding out results. We never asked enough questions of their goal keeper. We had a few chances first half but I never really sat on the edge of my seat thinking the goal is coming.
"I am disappointed because I didn't think we had a goal."
The power, strength and experience in West Ham's line up should eventually have them out of sight of promotion rivals.
But it took only nine minutes for the visitors to take command with a Piquionne header - his second of the season.
Sam Allardyce's men were his typical mix of organisation and getting the ball into danger areas in the box, which Matt Taylor did with precision when picking out the French striker at the back post for a simple nod into the bottom corner.
West Ham should have made the game safe earlier but in the 93rd minute a dreadful slip by Matthew Bates let Carlton Cole, on as a sub for Piquionne, collect the ball, round the keeper and fire home.
Allardyce's arm waving dance showed how crucial he felt the win was.
the star
MIDDLESBROUGH 0 - WEST HAM : FREDDIE'S PIQ OF THE BUNCH
FREDERIC PIQUIONNE grabbed his second goal in three games as West Ham secured a crucial victory in the battle of the Premier League hopefuls.
The French striker had gone eight months without finding the net but he made the most of a rare start by confidently adding to his strike in the win at Coventry 11 days ago.
Boro did their best to battle back but found Robert Green in top form as the former England keeper pulled off stunning saves to twice deny Scott McDonald.
And sub Carlton Cole wrapped up the points in stoppage time when he dispossessed Matthew Bates and rounded keeper Jason Steele to net.
Tony Mowbray’s Boro recovered from a slow start to throw everything at Sam Allardyce’s troops, but they could not avoid a first home defeat since February when they were turned over by QPR.
In contrast, Big Sam’s men were at it hammer and tongs right from the start and the only surprise was that it took them nine minutes to take the lead.
Steele had already beaten out Matt Taylor’s stinging 30-yard free-kick but he could do nothing to prevent Piquionne’s well-taken effort.
Mark Noble took a pass from captain Kevin Nolan to shovel the ball to Taylor down West Ham’s left.
His pinpoint cross was met by Piquionne who beat his marker Stephen McManus to give Steele no chance with a firm downward header from eight yards.
Boro hardly got out of their own half in the first 15 minutes and their frustration boiled over when Nicky Bailey and Joe Bennett were caught up in ugly head-to-head stand-offs with Nolan.
It took them the best part of 20 minutes to create their first clear chance but Green was up to the test.
McDonald burst clean through into the area as he chased a searching ball from Rhys Williams.
The ex-Celtic man’s first-time strike had plenty of venom but Green stood firm to block the shot.
Taylor came close to doubling the lead with an instinctive 35-yard half-volley that landed on the roof of the net with Steele struggling to make his ground.
But McDonald kept up his one-man crusade to haul Boro level and it took another great stop from Green to deny his shot on the turn from 18 yards.
Then strike partner Marvin Emnes dragged a shot into the near-post side-netting after good work by McDonald as Mowbray’s men ended the first half the stronger.
In front of a season-high Riverside crowd of 18,457, Faris Haroun sent a low shot across the face of goal as Boro continued to press after the break.
But they left themselves open to the counter-attack and Papa Bouba Diop should have made it two just before the hour.
He swapped passes with Noble to bulldoze his way into the box but, with just Steele to beat, he poked wide from six yards.
the mail
High-flyer: Frederic Piquionne rises to score the opener
Happy Hammer: Sam Allardyce saw his side win away for the fourth time in a row
Middlesbrough 0 West Ham 2: Piquionne and Cole open up automatic cushion for Hammers
Happy travellers West Ham United grabbed their fourth away win in a row to stay within touching distance of leaders Southampton, and delivered a major blow to Middlesbrough’s promotion hopes in the process.
Goals from Fredi Piquionne early in the first half and Carlton Cole in added time secured three valuable points for Sam Allardyce which keep West Ham within two points of the Championship table toppers.
Allardyce was celebrating his first win as a manager on Teesside and believes the gap between the top two and the rest of the division will keep his side on track for an immediate return to the top flight.
The West Ham boss said: ‘The squad is being used to its full potential and is looking pretty good. Kevin Nolan said before the game that we could really make a statement tonight and we have done that by putting on a performance and comfortably winning the game.
‘We got every element right. We prepared properly by travelling up on Monday to get ready for this big game and that paid off.
MATCH FACTS
Middlesbrough: Steele, McMahon, Bates, McManus, Bennett, Haroun, Bailey (Ogbeche 74), Rhys Williams (Arca 84), Zemmama (Nimely 84), Emnes, McDonald. Subs not used: Hoyte, Hines.
Booked: McManus, McDonald.
West Ham: Green, Demel (O'Brien 79), Faye, Tomkins, McCartney, Noble, Nolan, Diop, Faubert, Piquionne (Cole 68), Taylor. Subs not used: Stech, Collison, Sears.
Booked: Noble.
Goal: Piquionne 9, Cole 90+4.
Referee: Mike Dean.
‘We showed the right quality in the final third and really created enough chances to win it well and it should have been over before Carlton scored.
‘We are rolling on and on and the important thing is that gap we are creating between second and third breeds confidence to pick up more wins.
‘We are a very happy bunch but we will keep our feet on the ground. We’ve got Burnley now and we have to make sure we don’t slip up. This could be a big nine-point week for us.’
From the opening minutes, the visitors, now unbeaten in seven, looked the stronger team. Without the physical presence of Barry Robson, Middlesbrough struggled to get any grip on the key midfield area where Nolan and Mark Noble ran amok, while Julien Faubert and Matt Taylor enjoyed the freedom of the flanks.
Nolan and Noble combined to start the move which led to Piquionne’s second of the season, seizing on slack passing between Merouane Zemmama and Nicky Bailey. The ball was worked out to Taylor on the left and his neat cross was placed perfectly between Boro centre-backs Matt Bates and Stephen McManus for the unmarked Piquionne to nod the ball past Jason Steele.
Although top scorer Marvin Emnes dragged his only opportunity into the side netting, the easier Boro chances fell to striker Scott McDonald.
When Rhys Williams’ long pass dropped neatly into the path of the Aussie striker, he took one touch to control the ball before hitting a firm half-volley in the same movement, but his effort was at a good height for Robert Green to save comfortably.
Green denied McDonald again in the 32nd minute when the striker finished a neat three-man passing move by sliding past two men and unleashing an awkward low left-foot shot which Green parried.
The defeat was a sorry reality check for Middlesbrough. It may have been their first home defeat this season but they have now dropped 15 points at the Riverside.
Their unhappy supporters were streaming out as captain Bates made the fatal error to gift the visitors their second. His awful back pass was seized by Cole who glided past keeper Steele before sliding the ball into an empty net.
Boro boss Tony Mowbray said: ‘We started poorly but recovered OK and we were the only ones who looked likely to score but I always felt they were comfortable. I wasn’t sat on the edge of my seat thinking a goal was imminent.
‘They have a lot of Premier League experience and they are big and strong and they can grind out results like this one. We huffed and puffed and never really got there. But I never really felt we let them know they were in the North East for a game.
‘We are disappointed we didn’t do enough tonight. It was one of those nights when it didn’t really go for us and we have to look at why. We didn’t ask enough questions really.’
the express
Substsitute Carlton Cole then ensured the Hammers’ seventh win on the road this term
MIDDLESBROUGH 0 WEST HAM 2: BUBBLING SEVEN UP AS HAMMERS SURGE ON
FREDERIC PIQUIONNE’S early goal at the Riverside was the platform for West Ham’s fourth straight victory to further enhance their credentials for an immediate return to the top flight.
Substsitute Carlton Cole then ensured the Hammers’ seventh win on the road this term with a second goal in injury time to inflict Middlesbrough’s first home defeat since February.
Piquionne, who had gone eight months without netting, got his second in just 10 days in the ninth minute.
The North-east may not have been a happy hunting ground for Sam Allardyce during his brief spell as Newcastle United boss, but he returned home to the capital last night with another vital three points in his quest to bring Premier League football back to Upton Park following relegation last May.
The visitors took full advantage of a bright opening to go ahead, with Mark Noble sweeping the ball out to Matt Taylor on the left flank. The midfielder picked out Piquionne, who planted an unstoppable header past England Under-21 international Jason Steele from the edge of the six yard box.
Boro responded, but Scott McDonald, put clean through by Rhys Williams, was denied by Robert Green’s stunning stop. who then once again thwarted Aussie striker McDonald.
It was end to end stuff after the break with Senegal international Papa Bouba Diop shooting inches past the upright.
Boro top scorer Marvin Emnes badly mis-kicked his first real sight on goal on the hour mark, before Cole, on for Piquionne, added the final, finishing touch
the guardian
.West Ham's Piquionne and Cole supply the winning touch at Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough 0
West Ham United 2
Piquionne 9,
Carlton Cole 90+4
West Ham's Frédéric Piquionne, scorer of their first goal, Kevin Nolan, Matthew Taylor and Pape Bouba Diop prepare to defend a free-kick in last night's 2-0 win at Middlesbrough. Photograph: Lee Smith/Action Images
All good things must come to an end but Tony Mowbray could have wished Middlesbrough's long unbeaten home run had been interrupted by different opponents.
Before kick‑off Middlesbrough's manager warned of the importance of keeping pace with West Ham United and Southampton at the top of the Championship and "not letting them get away from us".
Sam Allardyce had different ideas and, courtesy of goals from Frédéric Piquionne and Carlton Cole, West Ham's fourth straight away win consigned Boro to a first defeat at the Riverside since February. Mowbray's players now sit two places but eight points behind rivals from Upton Park he dubs the division's "big dogs".
"It was frustrating, we didn't play particularly well," said Boro's manager. "West Ham's past Premier League experience showed. They're a big, strong side and they know when to put their foot through it, when to clear and when to stay on the ball but we didn't ask them enough questions. They did a job on us but we're better than that."
Allardyce was rather more upbeat. "Middlesbrough are good but we got every element right today, we stopped them playing and then showed quality in the final third," he said. "We've got six wins and a draw in our last seven games and we're on a roll."
By the ninth minute his side had assumed control. Kevin Nolan and Mark Noble were at the heart of a slick passing move which concluded with Matt Taylor crossing for the Londoners' sole striker, Piquionne, to thump a header beyond Jason Steele's reach.
Suitably stung, Boro – who had earlier been relieved to see Steele repel a long-range free‑kick from the dangerous Taylor – began showing off some passing fluency of their own and the end of one such fluid interchange saw Robert Green step off his line and spread himself adroitly to deny Scott McDonald. During a late first-half spell when Nicky Bailey briefly offered Mowbray's side a measure of central-midfield assurance and Marvin Emnes's pacy runs stretched Allardyce's defence, West Ham were grateful to Green for diverting a McDonald shot.
Yet with their visitors adept at defending in numbers when required, Boro generally struggled to create clearcut openings and, once Faris Haroun and then Emnes proved unequal to a trio of half-chances, it rarely looked like being Mowbray's night.
With Pape Bouba Diop – a midfielder surely born to be an Allardyce player – and Kevin Nolan both going close the only surprise was that it took until stoppage time for West Ham to double their lead. On for Piquionne, Cole dispossessed Matthew Bates before shooting past Steele as his side assumed a distinctly "big dog" swagger.
evening gazette
Boro 0 West Ham 2
BORO were given a sobering lesson in what is need to win promotion with a ruthlessly efficient display from Sam Allardyce's side.
BORO surrendered their long unbeaten Riverside record to an ominious looking West Ham side.
An easy early Hammers strike left them chasing the game then after after failing to make some good chances count, Boro were punished as ruthless West Ham sealed it in stoppage time.
It was Boro's first defeat on home turf since losing 3-0 to last years champions QPR back in February.
And it was a sobering lesson of how far short Boro are of the automatic promotion slots as they were easily brushed aside and left eight points adrift in the Championship table.
ailed to take them and as the game wore on then loooked laboured and blunt.
West Ham started brightly and a subdued Boro allowed them too much respect and space.
The Hammers caused an early scare as Taylor put in a dipping free-kick that Jason Steele fumbled before it was scrambled away.
Boro's first chance came on seven minutes when McDonald cut out a stray pass deep in his own half then raced 50 yards before being chopped down then from the free-kick Tony McMahon sent a stinging 30 yard effort straight at the keeper.
But West Ham went ahead on nine minutes with a simple goal that was almost undefended.
Taylor was allowed to race unchallenged down the left then put in a deep cross that sailed over the climbing Stephen McManus for FREDDI
PIQUIONNE to power home a free eight yard header.
Boro had a golden chance to leve on 14 minutes when Rhys Williams sent Scott McDonald surging into the box but with time and space the Aussie drilled his shot straight at the advancing keeper.
Boro were stung into action by the goal and perked up and started to show some more intent. They put together some some decent moves in a spell of crisp passing deep in the West Ham half as they looked to pick their way back into the game.
Boro went close on 26 minutes as Bailey slotted a deft ball through to send Emnes into the box on the left and he cut it back for Haroun but his leaning shot was easily saved by Green.
Boro went close again on 32 minutes as Haroun ****ed on a long ball from Steele into the box and it fell for McDonald but his angled snap
shot was deflected behind off the advancing keeper.
Play quickly swung down the other end as Nolan crossed in towards Piquionne in the box but alert Bates headed clear.
Boro threatened on 37 minutes as Haroun brought a high ball down for McDonald then took the return on the edge of the box but fired over.
Then a good move sent passes flowing from Zemmama to Bennett to Haroun to send McDonald into the box to unleash a low angled drive but it was saved and the flag had gone up anyway.
And Boro almost got the leveller a minute before the break as Bailey picked out Emnes with a fabulous ball and the striker turned marker Faye then rifled a low effort inches outside the near post.
HALF TIME: BORO 0 WEST HAM 1
Boro seemed sluggish and shapeless after the restart and almost got punished as twice Piquionne broke free down the left then on 50 minutes Diop broke clear to hammer a low 20 yard effort just past the foot of the post.
West Ham should have scored a killer second on 58 minutes as Diop surged in from the left and ghosted past Haroun to close in on the box then sent a angled 20 yard effort drifting beyond the far post.
Boro started to regain some composure and went close as Haroun headed wide from a McMahon corner then soon after Emnes put a low 25 yard effort wide of the far post.
But as Boro pressed West Ham looked threatening on the break. Noble poked a ball forward for Cole to chase into the box but Bates tracked him all the way to get in a timely tackle.
Then West Ham had a strong shout for a penalty on 82 minutes when Haroun brought down Noble but it was waved away.
Straight after Nolan brought the ball down in the box for Cole to lash high over.
Boro almost fashioned a leveller on 89 minutes when a cross was cleared but Arca neatly dropped it back over the crowd for McDonald to nip forward and stretch but he just failed to connect eight yards out.
West Ham went close in stoppage time as Cole wriggled away from his marker at the corner flag to pick out Nolan in the box but his close
range shot flew into the side netting.
But the Hammers did seal in four minutes into added time as Bates failed completely to cut out a quick ball forward and missed his attempted back pass leaving CARLTON COLE to collect and cut past Steele then slot through McManus legs and home.
BORO: Steele, McMahon, Bates (c), Williams (Arca 85), McManus, Bennett, Haroun, Bailey, Zemmama (Nimely 85), Emnes, McDonald. Subs: Hoyte, Hines.
WEST HAM: Green, Demel (O'Brien 79), Tomkins, Taylor, McCartney, Noble, Nolan (c), Faye, Bouba Diop, Faubert, Piquionne (Cole 69). Subs: Collison, Sears, Stech.
Ref: Mike Dean (Wirrel)
evening standard
Hammers are a happy bunch, admits Sam Allardyce
Sam Allardyce believes his West Ham side have made a real statement of intent by ending Middlesbrough's unbeaten home record in the npower Championship.
Frederic Piquionne set them on their way to a 2-0 win with a ninth-minute header following a mistake by Nicky Bailey.
Boro, until last night were unbeaten at the Riverside since a 3-0 reverse to QPR in February 2010, battled in vain to preserve their record, with Scott McDonald and top scorer Marvin Emnes both denied from well-crafted opportunities.
But Carlton Cole popped up deep into injury time to seal a sixth league win in seven games for the Hammers, this time home captain Matthew Bates erring to allow the striker to tap home unopposed.
West Ham keep up the pressure on leaders Southampton, who rescued a 2-1 win from a losing position in their game with Hull at St Mary's.
Allardyce said: "The squad is being used to its full potential and it's looking pretty good for us.
"We've missed some big players today and we came and performed like that and in the end won the game very comfortably against a team that hadn't lost a game here. We got every element right today. When we had to defend, we defended well, when we attacked, we exploited the spaces they were leaving to show our quality in the final third.
"We created good chances to win the game and deservedly so. We're a very happy bunch at the minute, we're just keeping our feet on the ground, enjoying our training and enjoying our time together. We prepared right for this one today.
"Kevin Nolan was talking about it (the unbeaten record) before the game, that we could make a big statement tonight and I think we have on the quality of our performance. We comfortably won the game tonight and long may it continue.
"We're getting to know each other's strengths and weaknesses and that makes us, as a team, better and better and better as time goes on."
The victory also marked a personal milestone in Allardyce's managerial career, as he claimed the spoils for the first time at the Riverside after fruitless exertions while in charge of Bolton, Newcastle and Blackburn.
He said: "I've had a few draws, a couple of defeats and it's the first time I've won here so I'm very pleased."
Att: 18,457 (1,234)
official site
piq praise for supporters
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