Premiership
West Ham United 3-1 Charlton Athletic 

Saturday, 19th August 2006
by Gordon Thrower

The opening day of the season. Don’t’cha just love it. The weeks of anticipation and scouring the papers for anything football-related are over and we have something a bit more tangible to talk about than the spelling of Pa(i)ntsil.



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Player Ratings

Roy Carroll
A good save from the freak 45-yard effort but was not really tested by a Charlton side who barely mustered any attacks worthy of the name.


Tyrone Mears
A good half defensively and possibly unlucky to be replaced at half time. Looks to have a bit of a shot on him. Promising.


Paul Konchesky
Spared defensive duties by Charlton?EUR(TM)s lack of attacking he thoroughly enjoyed himself bombing forward.


Anton Ferdinand
Looked comfortable against the fat Eddie Murphy and thankfully showed no reaction to the hamstring injury that messed up his pre-season.


Danny Gabbidon
Recovered from a shaky start but really shouldn?EUR(TM)t have been waving his arm anywhere near the ball irrespective of whether or not he made contact.


Hayden Mullins
Did his usual quietly effective job. Win the ball, lay it off. Doesn?EUR(TM)t stand out but performed an important role nevertheless.


Nigel Reo-Coker
A quiet afternoon for the skipper. Not a bad game but not as influential as he can normally be.


Lee Bowyer
Did more in 90 minutes than in the whole of his previous West Ham career to date. Desperately unlucky not to get on the scoresheet at the end of the move of the match.


Yossi Benayoun
A good match ?EUR" seems to have recovered well from his various injury problems.


Bobby Zamora
Improved as the game wore on and his confidence grew. Good, if simple finish for the first and the wicked spin he put on for the second bamboozled the Charlton defence. Probably.


Marlon Harewood
Gave the opposition defence a hard time without quite frightening them to death in the way we know he can. Unluckily booked.



Substitutes

John Paintsil
(Replaced Mears, 45) Linked up well with Bowyer in the second half ?EUR" another one who had little to do defensively.


Teddy Sheringham
(Replaced Zamora, 82) Became the oldest player etc etc. Gave the ball away a couple of times.


Carlton Cole
(Replaced Harewood, 90+2) Can?EUR(TM)t really argue with that start!


Jimmy Walker
Did not play.


James Collins
Did not play.



Match Facts

West Ham United: Roy Carroll, Tyrone Mears, Paul Konchesky, Anton Ferdinand, Danny Gabbidon, Hayden Mullins, Nigel Reo-Coker, Lee Bowyer, Yossi Benayoun, Bobby Zamora, Marlon Harewood.

Goals: Bobby Zamora 52 Bobby Zamora 66 Carlton Cole 90              .

Booked: Marlon Harewood 35 Paul Konchesky 65        .

Sent Off: None sent off.     .

Charlton Athletic: Carson, Young, El Karkouri, Hreidarsson, Traore, Ambrose, Holland, Faye, Hughes, Hasselbaink, D.Bent..

Subs not used: Myhre, Rommedahl.

Goals: D.Bent (15 pen).

Booked: Traore (23), Young (47)..

Sent off: None.

Referee: H.Webb.

Attendance: 35,000.

Man of the Match: Lee Bowyer.