West Ham 3-0 Hull: Hammers return to winning ways with comfortable victory
West Ham United returned to winning ways with a Jekyll and Hyde display to sweep aside a depleted Hull City side at the Boleyn Ground.
After an instantly forgettable first 45 - the Irons players trudging off to boos at half-time - the game burst into life in the second period as the hosts found their early season form to brush the Tigers aside.
Three second half goals from Andy Carroll, Morgan Amalfitano and Stewart Downing ensured the hosts secured victory for the first time in five games.
Carroll pounced on a goalkeeping error to fire the east-enders ahead four minutes into the second half, the frontman tapping into the empty net.
Sam Allardyce’s men then scored two goals in three minutes, as first Amalfitano collected Alex Song’s through ball to finish cleverly over McGregor before Downing finished coolly to wrap up the win moments later.
The Hammers, who were booed off despite victory in this fixture last season due to perceived negative play, picked an offensive line-up with Enner Valencia alongside Carroll as Allardyce looked to attack a struggling Hull side.
But it was the depleted visitors who started the brighter, with the speedy Sone Aluko causing the Hammers back four early problems, and the Tigers had two penalty appeals turned away by referee Martin Atkinson inside the first three minutes.
The English forward, who had the beating of James Tomkins early on, provided another chance on six minutes, turning his man with ease to find Ahmed Elmohamady, who could only side-foot his effort wide when handily placed inside the box.
The Egyptian’s effort appeared to wake up the hosts and they twice went close through Aaron Cresswell and Valencia, who both fired wide of the post from distance.
After an instantly forgettable first-half, and fresh from a Allardyce-sized flea in the ear, the Hammers broke down the right, with Downing crossing for captain Kevin Nolan who sent a half-volley inches over the crossbar.
In their very next attack the Irons finally got the breakthrough, Carroll reacting quickest to following an error by McGregor, who spilled a tame Valencia shot to allow the former Liverpool man to tap the ball home.
West Ham should have been 2-0 up ten minutes later, as Noble’s through ball found Valencia, who rolled his man and broke through one-on-one, only to turn around to see the flag up for offside, although replays suggested the Ecuadorian was on.
The summer signing really should have doubled the hosts’ advantage as he collected Michael Dawson’s poor clearance but he could only blast his shot into the side netting.
But moments later Allardyce’s men did double their lead, man-of-the-match Alex Song’s delightful through ball finding substitute Amalfitano, who raced onto the ball at pace before producing a lovely dinked finish over the ‘keeper for his third goal of the season.
By now the Hammers were rampant and Downing made it three with their next attack, the former Middlesbrough man collecting another Song ball to burst through on goal before coolly slotting home to calm any nerves surfacing around Upton Park.
The hosts continued to bomb forward as they searched for a fourth with Nolan and Carroll both going close, but those half-time jeers soon turned to full time cheers as the Irons continued their charge for Europe.