Hammers ease past Magpies

Victory eases the pressure on Hammers boss Roeder

West Ham 3-0 Newcastle

Don Hutchison and Paolo di Canio set West Ham on their way to their fifth consecutive Premiership victory over Newcastle.

Frederic Kanoute rounded off a fine performance with a well taken goal late on.

The Hammers produced an excellent display of attacking football and it was hard to see why they had managed only one goal this season previously.

It was a deserved win for Glenn Roeder's side who now move off the foot of the Premiership.

And the manner of the victory could provide the impetus for a continued climb up the table.

We can finish in the top eight if we play like we did today

Paolo di Canio

Trevor Sinclair, Kanoute and the ever-impressive Di Canio linked well up front, producing a number of sublime flicks and clever passes.

And Frenchman Laurent Courtois gave an assured display in defence, including a goal-line clearance from Clarence Acuna's header.

Newcastle struggled to cope with the home side's pace and disappointingly, the form which saw them defeat Manchester United in their last outing deserted them.

The visitors started well but faded rapidly.

Robbie Elliot was felled by Christian Dailly in the opening minutes and he looked to have a good case for a penalty.

Incisive

He was denied by the referee, then later Bellamy was thwarted Shaka Hislop who turned the former Coventry striker's attempted lob over the bar.

In between, Hutchison headed home Courtois' accurate centre to score West Ham's second goal of the season - and their first from open play.

Immediately after, Alan Shearer missed the target with a free-header inside the penalty area.

West Ham's play continued to be more incisive and Sinclair twice went close to increasing their advantage.

First, Rob Lee blocked on the goal-line, then Sinclair hit a fizzing shot inches wide of the top corner.

Hutchison and Carrick celebrate

Kanoute too had threatened following a mazy run, which ended in the Frenchman's shot being beaten away by Given.

It could have been worse for Newcastle had Bellamy's shove to the face of Hutchison been spotted by the match officials.

Already this season players have been dismissed for similar offences.

But soon after the interval, the visitors' chances of getting anything from the game did deteriorate.

Di Canio latched onto Dailly's raking pass and bamboozled Warren Barton before drilling a low shot beyond Given's dive and into the bottom right corner of the net.

West Ham continued to apply pressure on Newcastle's defence and were only being denied more goals by Given's athleticism.

But, inevitably, West Ham penetrated the Magpies' defence once more when Kanoute finished a flowing move with a cool finish.

Hutchison almost finished what he had started by scoring his second in the closing moments.

But Given was on hand again to keep the scoreline reasonably respectable.

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West Ham: Hislop, Sinclair, Schemmel, Repka, Dailly, Winterburn, Courtois, Carrick, Hutchison, Di Canio, Kanoute. Subs: Forrest, Soma, Moncur, Byrne, Defoe.

Newcastle: Given, Barton, Dabizas, O'Brien, Elliott, Solano, Acuna, Lee, Robert, Shearer, Bellamy. Subs: Harper, Bassedas, Lua-Lua, Ameobi, Distin.

Referee: P Jones