West Ham's 2009/10 Premier League campaign got off to the perfect start with a comfortable 2-0 win at Wolves this afternoon.
A goal either side of the break was enough to take Gianfranco Zola's side to the top of the fledgling Premier League table on the first weekend of the season.The newly promoted Wanderers - who were roared on by a full house - were no match for Zola's well drilled outfit, who scored twice, saw two cleared off the line and missed a hatful of chances to make the victory even more comprehensive.
However Rob Green still had to be on hand to make a number of vital saves at important points throughout the afternoon.
Gianfranco Zola had spoken earlier in the week about this being a difficult fixture to open the season with due to the opposition's staus as a newly-promoted club. However the Hammers had virtually silenced a bouyant Molineux within the first ten minutes as they took control of the game from the off.
Julien Faubert, restored to right-back following the failure thus far to re-sign Lucas Neill was proving a constant threat to the home side during the opening exchanges with a series of dangerous crosses. However it was a move that began on the opposite side of the pitch that led to United's opening goal on 22 minutes.
Carlton Cole, once again proving a constant thorn in the side of his marker picked up the ball wide on the left, in line with the penalty box. A short pass inside found Mark Noble, foraging forward. The young midfielder took one touch before releasing a piledriver of a shot that dipped into the top corne of goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey's net to notch United's first goal of the season.
Zola's team were inches away from doubling their lead eight minutes later when Noble was again involved. His through ball found Carlton Cole who saw his effort blocked by Hennessey; the resulting ball fell to Kieron Dyer whose goalbound effort was scrambled off the line by the retreating Jody Craddock.
The home side, all over the place at that point rallied briefly ahead of the break and mustered a couple of efforts on goal - the pick of the bunch being Nenad Milijas' effort that flew just wide of Rob Green's far post. Despite that, the Hammers were good value for their half time lead.
Wolves were out of the blocks first after the break and Rob Green had to be at his best to pull off three saves in the space of a matter of seconds. However it was the only time during the game that the defence looked seriously threatened - testament to Zola and Clarke, who have virtually rebuilt the back four since succeeding Alan Curbishley last year.
As they pushed forward in search of the equaliser the home side inevitably began to leave gaps at the back and it was from one of those lapses that Jack Collison so nearly profited on 53 minutes. Having been put through behind the defence, the young Welsh international took the ball round the keeper before firing at goal. Had he fired anywhere but directly at the retreating Kevin Foley it would have been 2-0.
The Hammers nearly payed for their spurned chances when Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, last season's Championship Player of the Year went through one-on-one with Green on the hour mark having capitalised on some poor defensive work from West Ham. Fortunately for United, England keeper Green was clever enough to divert Ebanks-Blake's goalbound effort away from goal to preserve the slender lead.
That heart-in-mouth moment was followed by a sickening clash of heads between Herita Ilunga and Kevin Foley inside the Hammers box. Both players went down but it was Ilunga who appeared to come off worse with the Congolese defender clearly out of it. He was immediately replaced, presumably with concussion, and replaced by Jon Spector.
Hammers fans could have been forgiven for fearing the worst at this point but their worries were dispelled just three minutes after Spector's arrival when Matthew Upson nodded a second goal home. It was a straightforward enough strike - Mark Noble's corner being nodded home by the 30-year-old centre half, who had peeled away from his marker - but Wanderers boss Mick McCarthy will no doubt be furious at his team's defending.
As the game wore on towards its inevitable conclusion McCarthy threw on a couple of strikers in search of a goal but that only served to leave gaping holes at the back - something which the Hammers so nearly profited from seven minutes from time. Scott Parker, tigerish in the heart of midfield won a ball deep in United territory before exchanging passes with (a by now limping) Carlton Cole. Luis Jimenez lay in support and was found by Parker - however the Chilean could only fire a weak effort straight at Hennessy.
Wolves managed to create one more half chance - Rob Green again on hand to superbly deny a far post point blank header - before Carlton Cole, who had been limping since the second goal was scored was finally replaced by Frank Nouble, making his debut following his summer move from Chelsea, deep into injury time. Seconds later and the final whistle was blown and the Hammers left the field to thunderous applause from a delighted travelling contingent of fans.
All in all Gianfranco Zola couldn't have expected much more from his troops and it was an excellent display in tricky circumstances. However delight at the win will be tempered by injury worries for both Cole and Ilunga, although the latter should be back in time for the visit of Tottenham eight days from now if concussion is indeed the diagnosis.
Wolverhapton Wanderers 0 West Ham United 1: match facts
West Ham Utd: Green, Faubert, Ilunga (Spector 65), Collins, Upson, Parker, Noble, Dyer (Stanislas 73), Collison, Jimenez, Cole (Nouble 90+3).
Subs not used: Kurucz, Gabbidon, Payne, Hines.
Goals: Noble (22), Upson (69).
Efforts on goal: 13 (3, 22*, 28, 30, 30, 30, 31, 31, 31; 53, 68*, 82, 83)
Wolves: Hennessey, Foley (Vokes 75), Craddock, Mancienne (Stearman 66), Ward, Halford, Henry, Milijas (Edwards 80), Jarvis, Keogh, Ebanks-Blake.
Subs not used: Hahnemann, Elokobi, Surman, Jones.
Efforts on goal: 14 (14, 29, 40, 41, 45; 46, 46, 56, 59, 61, 62, 66, 76, 89)
Referee: Chris Foy (8).
Attendance: 28,674.
Man of the Match: Julien Faubert.
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