25 goals in 29 games
Connolly Saves Day
25 goals in 29 games
By Bonello
August 10 2003
West Ham kicked off the new season with a badly needed victory at Deepdale yesterday in front of a motionless Terence Brown.......
25 goals in 29 games
August 10 2003
West Ham kicked off the new season with a badly needed victory at Deepdale yesterday in front of a motionless Terence Brown.......
Although far from pretty at times West Ham managed to grind out a vital morale boosting victory against a busy Preston side in temperatures over the 100 mark.
Despite the powerful heat the game managed to start off at a fast pace and within just 2 minutes Preston made a mockery of West Ham’s marking in the box to find an unmarked Eddie Lewis who nodded the ball home past a helpless David James. Just 4 minutes later though West Ham struck back with their first real attack of the game, Matthew Etherington whipping the ball in for Don Hutchinson who neatly headed the ball down to a swivelling Jermain Defoe who finished with class and reminded the board once again why the fans think we should be doing everything we can to keep hold of him.
The breakthrough did eventually come for the Irons after being on the backfoot for much of the second half. Matthew Etherington battled well to retrieve the ball which he’d lost seconds earlier and released David Connolly with a good through ball. With all the work left to do Connolly ran on, feinted one way, cut back the other before lining himself up to tuck the ball into the bottom left hand corner. Brilliant goal from one of the strikers first touches after coming on for the ineffective Neil Mellor.
David Connolly has slammed Glenn Roeder for supposedly playing Neil Mellor as part of a deal with Houllier which says he must play Mellor at every opportunity. Glenn Roeder has denied that this deal with Houllier took place but even if it didn’t, how can any manager contemplate leaving out a striker who last season scored 24 goals in 28 games for a mediocre Wimbledon side?? A question I’d loved to have seen answered by Neil Mellor himself on the pitch but I didn’t see much from him yesterday to raise any doubts over my initial thoughts that Glenn Roeder had got it wrong again and I did see Connolly’s case for a starting place. Case closed.
Another disappointing performance came from Don Hutchinson who throughout looked like he couldn’t be arsed. Sofiane came on in place of him and he looked a class act. Fast, skilful, attacking and hard working. Everything Hutchinson was not in his time on the pitch. I won’t be too negative though as it was a well fought victory against a team who could clearly play football and we’ve got Carrick to come back which could get our midfield to create a lot more than it did yesterday. I seriously think after already being a major factor in our relegation last season that we need a new defender though. Desperately.
West Ham United: James, Ferdinand, Repka, Dailly, Brevett, Garcia (Sofiane), Lee, Hutchison, Etherington, Mellor (Connolly), Defoe.
Subs not used: Bywater, Byrne, Noble.
Preston North End: Gould, Alexander, Jackson, Lucketti, Edwards, Healy, Etuhu (Skora), O'Neil, Lewis, Cresswell, Fuller.
Subs not used: Lucas, Abbott, Keane, Lynch.
Goals: Lewis (2), Defoe (6), Connolly (69)
Booked: Connolly (70, celebrating goal?!?); Ferdinand (72, foul); Brevett (90, timewasting)
Attendance: 18,246
Despite the powerful heat the game managed to start off at a fast pace and within just 2 minutes Preston made a mockery of West Ham’s marking in the box to find an unmarked Eddie Lewis who nodded the ball home past a helpless David James. Just 4 minutes later though West Ham struck back with their first real attack of the game, Matthew Etherington whipping the ball in for Don Hutchinson who neatly headed the ball down to a swivelling Jermain Defoe who finished with class and reminded the board once again why the fans think we should be doing everything we can to keep hold of him.
The breakthrough did eventually come for the Irons after being on the backfoot for much of the second half. Matthew Etherington battled well to retrieve the ball which he’d lost seconds earlier and released David Connolly with a good through ball. With all the work left to do Connolly ran on, feinted one way, cut back the other before lining himself up to tuck the ball into the bottom left hand corner. Brilliant goal from one of the strikers first touches after coming on for the ineffective Neil Mellor.
David Connolly has slammed Glenn Roeder for supposedly playing Neil Mellor as part of a deal with Houllier which says he must play Mellor at every opportunity. Glenn Roeder has denied that this deal with Houllier took place but even if it didn’t, how can any manager contemplate leaving out a striker who last season scored 24 goals in 28 games for a mediocre Wimbledon side?? A question I’d loved to have seen answered by Neil Mellor himself on the pitch but I didn’t see much from him yesterday to raise any doubts over my initial thoughts that Glenn Roeder had got it wrong again and I did see Connolly’s case for a starting place. Case closed.
Another disappointing performance came from Don Hutchinson who throughout looked like he couldn’t be arsed. Sofiane came on in place of him and he looked a class act. Fast, skilful, attacking and hard working. Everything Hutchinson was not in his time on the pitch. I won’t be too negative though as it was a well fought victory against a team who could clearly play football and we’ve got Carrick to come back which could get our midfield to create a lot more than it did yesterday. I seriously think after already being a major factor in our relegation last season that we need a new defender though. Desperately.
West Ham United: James, Ferdinand, Repka, Dailly, Brevett, Garcia (Sofiane), Lee, Hutchison, Etherington, Mellor (Connolly), Defoe.
Subs not used: Bywater, Byrne, Noble.
Preston North End: Gould, Alexander, Jackson, Lucketti, Edwards, Healy, Etuhu (Skora), O'Neil, Lewis, Cresswell, Fuller.
Subs not used: Lucas, Abbott, Keane, Lynch.
Goals: Lewis (2), Defoe (6), Connolly (69)
Booked: Connolly (70, celebrating goal?!?); Ferdinand (72, foul); Brevett (90, timewasting)
Attendance: 18,246
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