Filed under: West Ham, Wolverhampton, Premier League, Football, Match Reports
Freddie Sears scored for the first time in 74 appearances to seal a vital win for West Ham and leave Wolves deep in trouble. Sears, an academy product and boyhood fan, had last scored on his debut - and in the meantime had been loaned to Crystal Palace, Coventry and Scunthorpe without any luck in front of goal.
And his joy was plain to see after helping his side to their second victory in three games.
Both West Ham and Wolves kept faith with the same starting line-ups that posted much-needed festive victories, with Avram Grant's men having beaten Fulham away on Boxing Day and Mick McCarthy's outfit having stunned Liverpool two days later.
Sylvain Ebanks-Blake enjoyed the first chance of a scrappy opening period, while Sears and Junior Stanislas went close for West Ham.
Carlton Cole missed an easy chance on 29 minutes, before Sears had his effort cleared off the line by Richard Stearman.
Robert Green made two close-range saves just after the break, before West Ham went ahead in comical fashion. Frederic Piquionne crossed to a perfectly-placed Cole, who completely missed his shot. But the ball bounced in off Wolves defender Ronald Zubar's knee.
Scott Parker, who was left flat on the pitch after a yellow-card tackle by Stearman just after the Hammers' goal, crossed for Matthew Upson's powerful header on the hour, but keeper Wayne Hennessey was able to claw the ball clear.
Ebanks-Blake hit the crossbar on 75 minutes to leave West Ham jittery, but Sears sealed it with a cool finish, before he did a lap of honour to toast his first strike since March 2008.
REACTION:
West Ham manager Grant reflected on winning seven points from a possible nine over Christmas:
"It's been a very good Christmas, a good week for us. I felt before this run that we were very efficient but you can imagine how the players feel - they are very happy."
On finally getting out of the bottom three:
"It's much nicer to be out of the bottom three but we know we have along way to go to do what we want to do - but after what's happened in the last month this was nice.
"We are trying to play for ourselves at this stage of the season. I can tell you the spirit was always good, they wanted to get out of this situation.
"We played three games in six days and we have done very well. So I am very happy and I am sure we will continue like we are doing and stay efficient."
On Sears' years out on loan:
"Freddie has done well on loan even if he hasn't scored, but today he scored a fantastic goal."
Grant was particularly pleased Green made good on his manager's insistence that he is a good goalkeeper:
"I think sometimes you need to listen to me, I told you at the beginning of the season he is a good goalkeeper. I told him 'thank you very much' and he asked me why. I told him all season I spent the first 20 minutes of every press conference talking about you.
It is better not to come to a conclusion after two or three games. He did not start the season too well, but that can happen to anybody."
Wolves manager Mick McCarthy was disappointed at the manner in which they conceded the first goal:
"We didn't need to play offside, because it loosened up at the back, then it ends up in the back of the net as an own goal.
"Both teams would have been a little bit sensitive and fragile, whoever concedes the first, yet we should have equalised to be honest."
On being bottom again:
"We are two points from safety apparently and as far as I am aware we are not getting relegated in the morning.
"We are scrapping away and we played well enough today. We have to just keep playing in the last two games without giving goals away."
WHAT IT MEANS:
In the tightest of leagues, West Ham finally have some breathing space. This and the win over Fulham last week may have also saved Grant's position for the season, if not beyond.
PLAYER MARKING:
West Ham (4-4-2): Green 7 - Ben Haim 6, Tomkins 6, Upson 7, Gabbidon 7 - Sears 8, Kovac 6, Parker 8, Stanislas 6 (Noble 69 mins) - Piquionne 6, Cole 4
Subs (not used): Boffin, Reid, Barrera, Boa Morte, Hines, Obinna
Wolves (4-4-2): Hennessey 7 - Zubar 5, Stearman 7, Berra 6, Elokobi 7 (Fletcher 75) - Jarvis 6, Foley 6, Milijas 6 (Bent 86), Hunt 6 (Edwards 75) - Ebanks-Blake 6, Ward 6
Subs (not used): Hahnemann, Jones, Bent, Mujangi-Bia, Batth
REFEREE: Lee Probert
ATTENDANCE: 33,500
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