West Ham United vs Queens Park Rangers. Premier League.
Upton ParkAttendance34,907.
Monday 6 October 2014 09:30, UK
West Ham piled the misery on bottom of the table Queens Park Rangers with a 2-0 win in their London derby at Upton Park.
Nedum Onuoha's unfortunate own goal set West Ham on their way in the first half and the in-form Diafra Sakho added a second goal just before the hour mark to secure the win for West Ham.
The defeat ensured Harry Redknapp did not enjoy his return to his former club to leave them rooted to the bottom of the table, while the three points lifts West Ham into seventh spot ahead of next week's international break.
West Ham got off to a flying start when they were gifted the opening goal after just five minutes, but there was some controversy about it being allowed to stand.
Stewart Downing whipped in a corner, and under pressure from Sakho, Onuoha poked the ball into his own net. But in the build-up it appeared Enner Valencia had handled the ball before it was diverted in by Onuoha.
QPR went close to an equaliser on 24 minutes when Charlie Austin fashioned a chance for himself with a superb nutmeg on James Tomkins before curling in a shot which Adrian pushed out - with the unmarked Niko Kranjcar unhappy that the striker had not passed to him instead of shooting.
Harry Redknapp threw on former West Ham favourite Bobby Zamora at the start of the second half and he almost had an immediate impact two minutes after the break.
Zamora picked up a pass from Leroy Fer wide on the left and picked out Austin's run inside the box with a fine cross only to see his strike partner fire wide from 12 yards.
West Ham, who struggled in the early stages of the second half, doubled their lead through Sakho just before the hour mark to take the wind out of QPR's sails.
The ball fell to James Tomkins inside the box and the defender hooked his shot goalwards and Sakho was on hand to head home the ball from inside the six-yard box for fourth goal in the last four Premier League games.
QPR were lucky not to concede a third goal seconds later when goalkeeper Rob Green passed a free-kick straight to Valencia who slotted the ball into the net, but referee Anthony Taylor disallowed the goal as the West Ham forward was not the required ten yards away from the ball before Green kicked it.
QPR tried to find a way back into the game and Kranjcar forced Adrian into a good save with a curling free-kick from 25 yards which the West Ham goalkeeper did well to turn round the post.
West Ham substitute Kevin Nolan should have made it 3-0 four minutes from time when Downing got down the left and pulled the back for Nolan inside the box, but his shot was too close to Green who made the save.
