Ashton the hero for Hammers
Injury-ravaged West Ham gain a vital away win
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Sunday, 09, Dec 2007 06:19
A goal from substitute Dean Ashton in the second half gave West Ham United a 1-0 win over Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park.
Ashton grabbed the winner at the start of the second half for the Hammers.
The result moves the Hammers into tenth place, while Rovers slip to 11th.
Mark Hughes was forced into one change with Morten Gamst Pedersen replacing the suspended David Bentley.
West Ham were unchanged from the side that lost 1-0 to Chelsea last Saturday.
The first-half was a drab affair, with both sides creating few clear-cut chances.
David Dunn came close in the fifth minute after collecting Roque Santa Cruz's pass and unleashing a strike from 25 yards that went inches over the bar.
Tugay came agonisingly close to a spectacular opener with the Turkey midfielder whacking a 35-yard strike narrowly wide on 17 minutes.
The Hammers were also restricted to efforts from long distance with Scott Parker firing a shot over the bar 11 minutes from half-time.
The visitors almost broke the deadlock when Stephen Warnock failed to clear Nolberto Solano's cross but Luis Boa Morte skied his shot over from close range.
Both sides made changes at half-time with Robbie Savage on for Aaron Mokoena for Rovers while Ashton replaced Matthew Etherington, who suffered a groin injury.
In an absorbing second-half, Curbishley's side took the lead after some schoolboy defending from Rovers from a corner on 52 minutes.
Brett Emerton's weak header clear was collected by Solano who found George McCartney on the left, whose cross found an unmarked Ashton to poke the ball home.
Robert Green then made a stunning double save to palm away Christopher's Samba's header from David Dunn's corner and then block Andre Ooijer's follow up on 57 minutes.
Pedersen then wasted a glorious opportunity on 66 minutes after smashing his shot over the bar when played through.
It was then Brad Friedel's turn to make a sensational save with the American palming away Boa Morte's volley from ten yards.
Rovers continued to bombard the Hammers' goal with Santa Cruz heading Pedersen's pinpoint cross a yard wide.
The Hammers nearly scored a controversial second after Andre Ooijer pulled up with an injury as Carlton Cole played on and slid a low pass to Ashton, who dinked his effort from eight yards over the bar.
Ooijer was then stretchered off leaving Rovers with ten men as they had used up their three substitutes.
In the closing minutes, Tugay's venomous volley from 20 yards was sensationally palmed away by Green.