West Ham moved above Manchester City into ninth place in the Premiership tonight after a 2-1 win against Fulham at the Boleyn
Two first half wonder goals - from Anton Ferdinand and Yossi Benayoun - secured all three points for the Hammers, despite a second half rally by the visitors.Anton Ferdinand opened the scoring on 17 minutes with a bolt out of the blue; Marlon Harewood knocked a clearance down to Ferdinand who swivelled on the spot 18 yards from goal before burying an unstoppable effort beyond new Fulham keeper Anti Niemi, who was left rooted to the spot.
And Yossi Benayoun notched an equally unstoppable second 11 minutes later, when he lobbed Niemi from the edge of the box after dropping his shoulder - twice - to unsteady his markers.
However West Ham's uncertainty at holding a rare half-time lead almost cost them the game after the break. Just seven minutes in a rare mistake from Danny Gabbidon allowed Heidar Helguson to reduce the deficit to one as the former Watford striker finished low to Roy Carroll's left.
Minutes after Helguson's goal the visitors saw a good penalty appeal turned down after Paul Konchesky barged goalscorer Helguson to the ground - but Uriah Rennie decided it was a fair challenge - as he had done minutes earlier when Bobby Zamora was sent to the ground by Carlos Bocanegra when clean through on goal.
Despite the Hammers rearguard making further mistakes Fulham failed to profit, leaving West Ham with their first home win of the year.
* There were tears at the final whistle for the departing Tomas Repka, who played his final game for the Hammers before returning to the Czech Republic to join SParta Prague.
The crowd of 29,812 rallied in a chorus of 'Super Tommy Repka' to bid a fond farewell to the defender who has spent the last four and a half years at the club.
West Ham United: Carroll, Repka, Ferdinand, Gabbidon, Konchesky, Benayoun (Katan 86), Mullins, Reo-Coker, Etherington (Newton 90), Harewood, Zamora (Dailly 80).
Subs not used: Hislop, Sheringham.
Booked: Benayoun (80), Dailly (83).
Goals: Ferdinand (17), Benayoun (28).
Fulham: Niemi, Rosenior, Knight, Bocanegra, Bridge, Elliott, Legwinski, Malbranque (Radzinski), Boa Morte, Helguson, McBride (John).
Subs not used: Warner, Goma, Niclas Jensen.
Booked: Boa Morte (77), Rosenior (89).
Goals: Helguson (52).
Referee: Uriah Rennie.
Attendance: 29,812.
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