Preston 1 West Ham 2
Goals from Republic of Ireland striker David Connolly and Manchester United target Jermain Defoe gave West Ham United a win on the opening day of the new First Division season today.
Preston took just 70 seconds to show the Hammers that life outside the top flight would be no easy stroll as Eddie Lewis took advantage of a defensive mistake to put the home side in front at Deepdale.
Defoe pulled the visitors level just three minutes later, darting onto Don Hutchison's neat downward header before toe-poking the ball past Jonathan Gould.
And, despite fevered Preston pressure after the interval, it was the Hammers who earned maximum points when Connolly raced onto Matthew Etherington's through-ball midway through the second period and beat Gould with a firm finish.
Connolly should have had a second but he miss-hit an Anton Ferdinand pass and the ball went harmlessly wide.