Dagenham & Redbridge 0 West Ham Utd 2

  • by Matthew O'Greel
  • Saturday, 14th July 2007

West Ham United's pre-season campaign kicked-off with a 2-0 win at the Glyn Hopkin Stadium this afternoon.

The Daggers - who have reached the Football League for the first time in their history after being promoted from the Conference last season - went down to a Mark Noble free-kick and a quite splendid own goal from defender Ross Smith in a testimonial for Tony Roberts.

However the Hammers - who featured new signings Parker, Faubert and Wright but not Craig Bellamy - were made to wait until the 83rd minute before making the breakthrough which arrived via the right boot of substitute Noble, who drilled home a 25 yard free-kick into the the top-right corner.

United's victory was confirmed two minutes later when Luis Boa Morte's corner was expertly diverted into his own net by the unfortunate Smith, who appeared intent on giving Iain Dowie a run for his money in the 'Best Ever Own Goal' stakes.

More importantly for Alan Curbishley was the return to action for both Dean Ashton and Matthew Upson who both played a full second-half.

Ashton, looking fitter and leaner than perhaps ever before survived a couple of 'industrial' tackles with no problems, whilst Upson looked assured at the back having finally beaten a series of niggling injuries that prevented him from playing more than 45 minutes since arriving from Birmingham in January.

So just 61 days since last season ended in triumph at Old Trafford and the Hammers are up and running once again; next up is the week-long trip to Austria where United are scheduled to play SK Sigma and Lazio.

West Ham United: Green (Wright 45); Pantsil (Ferdinand 82), Collins (Davenport 45), Gabbidon (Upson 45), McCartney (Spector 45); Reid (Collison 45), Mullins (Parker 45), Bowyer (Faubert 45), Etherington (Boa Morte 45); Hines (Ashton 45), Cole (Noble 67).

Goals: Noble (83), Smith og (85).

Attendance: 5,657

Referee: J.Singh

* Something to say about this story? Please visit the KUMB Forum to leave a comment.



More News