Report | Wigan Athletic | Match 16 August 2008, West Ham 2

GAME OF TWO HALVES AT UPTON PARK

WEST HAM UNITED 2
Ashton 3, 10
WIGAN ATHLETIC 1
Zaki 47

Report by Paul Chialton

Amr Zaki's goal on his competitive debut wasn't enough for Latics to rescue a point at Upton Park, as Dean Ashton's first-half goals won the points for West Ham.

Zaki's strike came 2min after the break after Maynor Figueroa threw a long ball into the box which was flicked on by Emile Heskey and volleyed home, left-footed by the Egyptian who terrorised throughout the second-half.

In a spirited second-half, Steve Bruce's men threw everything but the kitchen sink at the Hammers goal, and came dangerously close on a number of occasions, but it was Ashton's goals that proved decisive in the end.

The first came after 3min when Ashton received the ball from Julien Faubert on the right, turned away from Scharner and fired into the top right corner to make it 1-0.

West Ham were on top throughout the first-half and a second goal looked inevitable. Ashton duly delivered; finding himself unmarked on the back post after a Faubert corner wasn't cleared.

But it was the second half Bruce will be pleased with. With such attacking spirit, Latics were unlucky not to get a point from the game, Wilson Palacios in particular shining brighter than the Wigan away shirt in his attempts to level the score-line.

The 700 travelling fans will take many positives from the second-half performance, and no doubt look forward to next Sunday's clash against Chelsea at the JJB.

WEST HAM UTD: Green; Behrami, Davenport, Upson, Neill (c); Faubert (Boa Morte 84), Parker (Mullins 71), Noble, Etherington; Ashton (Sears 71), Cole
Subs: Lastuvka, Reid, Bowyer, Spence

LATICS: Kirkland; Melchiot (de Ridder 82), Scharner (Koumas 82), Boyce, Figueroa; Valencia, Cattermole (Sibierski 84), Palacios, Kapo; Heskey, Zaki
Subs: Pollitt, Kilbane, Brown, Bramble