West Ham 0-2 Tottenham: LEDLEY KING scored his first goal in three years as Tottenham continued their revival under Harry Redknapp with a victory at Upton Park last night. The Spurs captain, who last scored against Portsmouth in December 2005, headed Aaron Lennon's curling cross past Robert Green to put Spurs ahead.
Spurs then wrapped up the victory in the last minute with a superb long-range strike from the England under-21 midfielder Jamie O'Hara as West Ham were caught on the break trying to snatch an equaliser.
If Redknapp had found much that was familiar on his return to a club which he represented 476 times in the league alone either as player or manager, one thing would have struck him as odd: the chorus of boos which met his arrival pitchside.
The enmity West Ham fans feel for Tottenham cannot be overcome, even by him, though he may well have found the rapturous reception he has received on his previous returns with Portsmouth waning somewhat anyway, his former fans surely tiring of his habit of winning every time.
No one could create a comparable chance in a scrappy opening half. With Roman Pavlyuchenko on his own in attack Spurs often struggled to find anyone to pass to except yet another member of their midfield.
West Ham, meanwhile, frequently found themselves harried into sending the ball backwards when they had appeared well placed. In Craig Bellamy, however, they had a player who worried Tottenham. Not only with the pace for which he is best known, though in the 10th minute only a narrow and strangely delayed offside decision halted him when clean through.
He almost created a goal with a corner, Jermaine Jenas sending the ball looping into his own net only for the referee to spot a push by Lucas Neill.
Spurs spurned two more good chances as the interval approached, both from Lennon's crosses. In the 38th minute a high ball was headed back into the area by Neill and Bentley's volley forced a fine save from Green, then in the 42nd another fizzing low drive found Pavlyuchenko, but he could only turn the ball against the post.
Two minutes into the second half an almost identical cross produced an extremely similar result. By this time West Ham were attacking that end, and it was Neill this time who sent the ball skidding across the six yard box. Julien Faubert flung himself goalwards, needing only the slightest contact, but got none.
Spurs replaced Pavlyuchenko on 54 minutes with the pacier Bent, who in six minutes was given, and missed, more chances than the Russian had in almost an hour. First a free header from Bentley's corner hit a defender, then a miscued and over-casual flick from another Lennon low centre rolled wide.
Bent's pace pushed West Ham's defence back, creating more space for Tottenham's midfield. A trickle of chances became a torrent and, finally, one was taken.
Lennon sent in yet another cross and Ledley King, having stayed up following an earlier free-kick, headed precisely past Green. Then substititute O'Hara ended West Ham's resistance with his second goal of the season.
Guardian Service
WEST HAM UTD: Green, Neill, Collins, Upson, Ilunga, Behrami, Mullins (Di Michele 73), Parker (Tristan 83), Faubert (Noble 58), Cole, Bellamy. Subs not used: Lastuvka, Boa Morte, Davenport, Collison. Booked: Behrami, Noble.
TOTTENHAM: Gomes, Corluka, Woodgate, King, Assou-Ekotto, Lennon, Zokora, Jenas, Bentley (O'Hara 81), Modric, Pavlyuchenko (Bent 54). Subs not used: Cesar, Bale, Huddlestone, Dawson, Boateng.
Referee: Chris Foy (Merseyside).
