Happy Hammers after Etherington double
West Ham celebrate Craig Bellamy's opener
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Saturday, 01, Sep 2007 07:32
Two second-half goals from Matthew Etherington secured a comfortable 3-0 victory for West Ham at Reading today.
Striker Craig Bellamy set the tone of the day for the Hammers, converting after six minutes and simultaneously wiping away the memories of his side's 6-0 thrashing at the Madejski Stadium last season.
The £7.5 million signing from Liverpool showed excellent pace evading the Reading defence after latching on to a Lee Bowyer pass from midfield, before angling a shot past goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann.
Reading pressed forward with returning striker Leroy Lita the hope of Reading fans for an equaliser, but it was Stephen Hunt who came closest in the final minutes of the opening half with a 20-yard effort hitting the roof of the crossbar.
But after scoring twice against Bristol Rovers midweek, Bellamy contributed to his man of the match display by setting up West Ham's second goal after the interval.
A cutting one-two between Etherington the Welsh international gifted the winger the opportunity to strike at the near post and double the visitors' lead.
As tensions increased at the Madejski Stadium, Hammer's goalkeeper Robert Green was booked for time wasting over a goal-kick, while referee Mark Webb also had to break up a scuffle between Bellamy and Hunt by the corner flag.
But while Green performed solidly to prevent a consolation goal from the home-side, the Hammers rubbed salt into the Royals' wounds when Etherington took his second of the match converting a Carlton Cole pass on the 90th minute.