Poor finishing gives Hammers win

Monday, 01, May 2006 10:48

Relegated West Brom were left to rue missed opportunities as they crashed to a 1-0 defeat by West Ham in their last home game in the Premiership.

Nigel Reo-Coker's goal just before the break gave the FA Cup finalists all three points but the Baggies should have taken something from the game.

The home side could have been two up inside the first ten minutes as first Kanu found the ball at his feet inside the area but he smashed his shot over.

Then strike-partner Nathan Ellington flashed a header from Jonathan Greening's cross wide of the post just two minutes later.

The Hammers suffered a blow to their own forward options as Dean Ashton was forced off midway through the first-half with a hamstring injury.

Ellington then wasted another good opportunity on the half-hour as Kanu did well to create a chance but the 24-year-old rolled his shot wide.

West Brom were left to rue their inept finishing as Reo-Coker gave them the lead three minutes before the break.

Bobby Zamora's penetrating run came to an end inside the penalty area but the ball broke to the skipper and he smashed the ball past Tomasz Kuszczak from 12 yards.

Bryan Robson's men continued to press forward in the second-half in search of a goal but Ellington was again guilty of wasting good positions.

On 51 minutes, he found himself in space but he could only drill his shot straight at Shaka Hislop from the edge of the area.

Six minutes later, the former Wigan striker struck his shot well from the edge of the area but again he couldn't find the target as the ball flew over the bar.

His best opportunity came with ten minutes remaining but Greening's cross saw Ellington head just wide and West Brom slumped to their 22nd defeat of the season.