Hammers get off to winning start

By Simon Hayes on August 17, 2008 12:29 AM |

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WEST Ham got their Premier League campaign off to a winning start, but have lost Dean Ashton to injury.

The striker picked up a leg injury when taking a free-kick half-way through the second half and hobbled off, having scored both his side's goal in the 2-1 win over Wigan.

Fabio Capello would have been impressed with Ashton's finishing but the ex-Norwich man will miss out on an England cap yet again, having been ruled out of England's game against the Czech Republic this week.

It had all started so well for Ashton as he opened his account for the season in just the third minute, making the most of some slack defending to swivel onto Julien Faubert's through ball to rifle the ball home past Chris Kirkland.

He doubled his, and West Ham's, tally after 10 minutes when he found himself left unmarked just two yards out to touch the ball home from a Matthew Etherington corner.

The home side enjoyed most of the possession in the first half but couldn't make the most of their superiority, going into the half-time break 2-0 up.

Wigan came out for the second half looking reinvigorated and made their superiority count as Zaki volleyed home from a Heskey flick two minutes after the restart.

While West Ham dominated the first half, Wigan were well in control of the second period and should really have levelled matters, with Zaki wasting a couple of good chances to add to his tally on his debut in English football.

Callum Davenport, making his first Premier League appearance for 18 months, was lucky to stay on the pitch when he pulled Zaki back as he raced on to a through ball, but referee Steve Bennet deemed it a yellow card offence only.

It then became a rearguard action for West Ham with Wigan looking the more likely side to score. Palacios brought a fine save from Robert Green and Zaki also spurned a couple of good scoring opportunities.

The final whistle was welcomed with relief by the Upton Park crowd, happy to see their side make a winning start to the season.

West Ham: Green, Neill, Parker (Mullins, 73), Ashton (Sears, 71), Etherington, Cole, Upson, Noble, Faubert (Boa Morte, 86), Behrami, Davenport. Unused subs: Lastuvka, Reid, Bowyer, Spence.

Goals: Ashton (3, 10)

Wigan: Kirkland, Cattermole, Palacios, Scharner, Heskey, Zaki, Valencia, Boyce, Kapo, Melchiot, Figueroa.

Attendance: 32,758