Leeds see off hapless Hammers

Bakke (l) of Leeds grapples with di Canio

West Ham 0-2 Leeds United

Leeds continued their imperious run of form with a comfortable win over toothless West Ham at Upton Park.

Goals from Robbie Keane and Rio Ferdinand were enough for Leeds to gain their fifth straight league win.

West Ham were outplayed for most of the afternoon and could not even find the net after Leeds' midfielder David Batty was sent off early in the second-half.

The former England international was shown the red card for elbowing Joe Cole in the face.

Leeds dominated the first-half without ever really extending themselves.

They seemed able to rip the Hammers' defence open at will and after just eight minutes took the lead.

Kanoute limps off

Harry Kewell sent in a testing cross from the left and Harte headed powerfully at goal from the far post.

Batty assured me that there was no contact whatsoever - it was a disgraceful decision

  Leeds boss David O'Leary on Batty's sending-off

Shaka Hislop reacted excellently to save but was helpless to stop Robbie Keane powerfully volley home the rebound from close range.

West Ham's misery was compounded when their French striker Frederic Kanoute was forced off injured.

Svetoslav Todorov replaced him.

Leeds created several more chances and after half-an-hour they nearly went further ahead.

Harte hit the crossbar with a vicious inswinging corner and Rio Ferdinand stooped to head the rebound back toward goal, but Hislop saved excellently with his legs.

Ferdinand goal

West Ham were struggling to make any inroads into the Leeds defence and had their first meaningful shot after a minute of first-half injury time.

Di Canio played Dailly in down the right and the Scottish international defender chipped the ball to Cole, who struck a half-volley wide of the far post from 15 yards.

Once we lost Kanoute we had no strength or pace, because he is our focal point and is so important to us.

  Harry Redknapp
West Ham manager

But Leeds went further ahead just two minutes after the interval.

Harte sent a free kick in from the right and Ferdinand rose above Igor Stimac at the far post to head powerfully at goal.

Eirik Bakke slid in to help the ball over the line but the goal was Ferdinand's.

The game appeared to be over as a contest, but the Hammers were given renewed hope when David Batty was sent-off for violent conduct.

Martyn outstanding

The experienced midfielder ran in to challenge Cole on the right touchline and appeared to elbow him in the face as he did so.

West Ham piled forward but found Martyn, who had been a spectator up to now, in impressive form in the Leeds goal.

Carrick, with an impressive long-range effort, Todorov and then Kaba Diawara were all denied by fantastic saves from the England international.

Yet it was Leeds who had the best chance of the closing minutes.

Bowyer broke clear from midfield and tried to steer the ball past the advancing Hislop, but West Ham's keeper managed to get a hand on the ball.

The Leeds midfielder managed to have a second shot from his prone position, but Hammers substitute Hayden Foxe cleared to safety.

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West Ham: Hislop, Ian Pearce, Stimac, Dailly, Winterburn, Moncur, Lampard, Carrick, Cole, Di Canio, Kanoute. Subs: Bywater, Soma, Todorov, Foxe, Diawara.

Leeds: Martyn, Mills, Ferdinand, Matteo, Harte, Bakke, Batty, Dacourt, Bowyer, Kewell, Keane. Subs: Robinson, Kelly, Wilcox, Burns, Maybury.

Referee: G Poll (Tring).