West Ham 4 Southampton 1: Noble and Nolan help Hammers see off sloppy Saints
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UPDATED:
16:48 GMT, 20 October 2012
Mark Noble's brace helped West Ham continue their fine start to life back in the top flight at the expense of fellow new boys Southampton.
The Hammers have adapted to life in the Barclays Premier League far better than the side that finished above them in the Championship and picked up their fourth win of the campaign.
After a dour first half at Upton Park, Sam Allardyce's men came flying out of the blocks after the restart and netted twice in a three-minute spell.
Happy Hammers: Two-goal hero Mark Noble is grabbed by fellow goalscorer Kevin Nolan
MATCH FACTS
West Ham: Jaaskelainen, Tomkins (Spence 88), Collins, Reid, McCartney, Noble, Diame (O'Neil 68), Benayoun, Nolan, Jarvis, Carroll (Maiga 82). Subs not used: Spiegel, Cole, Chambers, Hall.
Scorers: Noble 46, 72 (pen), Nolan 48, Maiga 87.
Southampton: Boruc, Clyne, Hooiveld, Fonte, Yoshida, Puncheon (Mayuka 65), Schneiderlin, Steven Davis (Ward-Prowse 89), Lallana, Rodriguez (Lambert 65), Do Prado. Subs not used: Kelvin Davis, Seaborne, Chaplow, Reeves.
Booked: Hooiveld, Schneiderlin.
Scorer: Lallana 63.
Ref: Neil Swarbrick.
Att: 34,925.
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Noble broke the deadlock with a
40-yard free-kick that drifted past debutant goalkeeper Artur Boruc,
before captain Kevin Nolan tapped home a Yossi Benayoun cross at the
back post.
Southampton threatened a comeback
when Adam Lallana exquisitely fired home, but Noble netted a penalty
before substitute Modibo Maiga superbly curled home to secure the three
points.
West Ham looked the brighter side
early on but Southampton earned the game's first corner with Jay
Rodriguez inches away from directing home Jason Puncheon's loss cross.
It was one of several threatening moments by the visitors for whom goalkeeper Boruc was looking shaky.
The former Celtic man became the
third different goalkeeper to start for Saints this season and had Andy
Carroll to thank for not making the most of an awful clearance early on.
Boruc was playing behind a re-jigged
backline in east London as Southampton juggled injuries and attempted to
thwart West Ham's aerial threat.
Jos Hooiveld returned to the side as a result of the changes and had to be alert to clear a James Tomkins header off the line.
Mixed fortunes: Both Adam Lallana (left) and Nolan got on the scoresheet, but West Ham took all three points
The Dutch defender saw his own header
on goal saved by Jussi Jaaskelainen moments earlier and in the 21st
minute Rodriguez put a snapshot just wide.
The 6million striker also fired a
free-kick over as Saints tried to break the deadlock, with team-mates
Maya Yoshida and Guly do Prado soon miscuing their own long-range
efforts.
There were fears for Tomkins when he appeared to twist his knee, but he continued after treatment as West Ham upped the ante.
The home side were struggling to
create any clear-cut chances, though, as Southampton went into half-time
without conceding for the first time since their return to the Premier
League.
However, the Saints defence was breached less than a minute into the second half.
On the run: Matt Jarvis has the beating of Nathaniel Clyne
Collins could not quite get a toe on Noble's floated 40-yard free-kick, but it bounced in the six-yard box and flew past Boruc.
The opener was followed moments later by West Ham's second after a poor Do Prado pass was not dealt with by Yoshida.
Benayoun won the ball from the Japan
international and his low cross was met at the back post by Nolan, who
tapped home from close range.
Only the fine reactions of Boruc
prevented the Hammers captain making it three in the 61st minute as he
ghosted in and directed a quickly-taken free-kick goalwards.
False dawn: Lallana fires Southampton's only goal of the game
The save proved invaluable as Saints
reduced the deficit two minutes later when Lallana turned beautifully to
strike a half-volley past Jaaskelainen from close range.
The goal came thanks to the hard work
- and wayward shot – of Rodriguez, who was replaced by Rickie Lambert
immediately afterwards.
Saints' top scorer was surprisingly
left out of the starting line-up and came on at the same time as
Emmanuel Mayuka, although it was the former that made an immediate
impact.
First the 30-year-old saw a 20-yard free-kick just go over, before heading a Nathaniel Clyne cross wide.
Southampton were threatening to
quieten the home support but undid all their good work when Fonte
handled as he challenged Carroll.
Noble fired home the resulting spot-kick, allowing the Hammers to coast from the 72nd minute onwards.
Mayuka tested Jaaskelainen as West
Ham endured some nervy moments, but Maiga put the match out of sight
three minutes from time, running at the Saints defence and sending a
curling left-footed effort home.
