Hammers seal vital win

Goals from Alessandro Diamanti and Carlton Cole saw West Ham beat Birmingham 2-0 and rise out of the Premier League drop zone.

Diamanti and Cole efforts seal vital win for Zola's men

Goals from Alessandro Diamanti and Carlton Cole in either half saw West Ham beat Birmingham and rise out of the Premier League drop zone. Diamanti scored with a fantastic free-kick into the top corner on the stroke of half-time after Scott Parker had been brought down by Scott Dann just outside the box. Cole then made sure of the victory when nodding home Julien Faubert's cross from close range on 67 minutes. The victory lifts the Hammers up to 14th in the table, a point above the drop zone, and gave new West Ham owners David Gold and David Sullivan a win at the expense of the club they used to own. Gianfranco Zola's future as manager had been the subject of much speculation leading up to the game and it sparked a vote of confidence from Sullivan only hours before the kick-off. The co-owner's remarks that the wage bill would have to be slashed was deemed unhelpful by Zola as he prepared his squad for this vital home game. But the spirit of unity among the players and their support for Zola was personified by Diamanti's 50-yard run to hug the Italian coach after the striker had put the home side ahead on the stroke of half-time. West Ham were in a determined mood from the start with striker Mido showing some nice touches on his full debut. In the seventh minute, he sent a header flashing wide of the far post when a cross from Julien Faubert found him unmarked.

Fine save

Five minutes later, James Tomkins forced Joe Hart into a fine save when the West Ham midfielder sent a 20-yard drive towards the bottom corner. City hit back but a cross from Craig Gardner went straight into the arms of the waiting West Ham goalkeeper Robert Green. In the 23rd minute, Mido supplied a low cross which Hart managed to scoop into his arms before Cole pounced. But West Ham had Green to thank in the 24th minute when he punched away a cross from Carr. However, Hart had to be at his best seconds later to tip a powerful drive from Diamanti over the crossbar as the game began to open-up. City should have taken the lead in the 28th minute but Cameron Jerome shot wide of Green's right-hand upright from eight yards after Lee Bowyer had cleverly set him up with a short pass. Yet West Ham continued to press and Cole did well to turn his marker before firing just a yard wide of the far post in the 32nd minute. Kevin Phillips then tested Green but found the England goalkeeper in top form when he tipped the veteran striker's 25-yard shot over the crossbar. But West Ham went in front in first-half injury time after City's Dann was booked for a foul on Parker on the edge of the penalty area and Diamanti sent the free-kick over the wall and into the top corner.

Second period

Buoyed by his goal, Diamanti then tried his luck with a volley in the 54th minute but there was little power behind the shot and Hart dealt with it comfortably. West Ham, looking to bounce back from defeat at Burnley at the weekend, continued to dominate. Diamanti was presented with another chance when Cole set him up in the 60th minute but shot high over the bar. A rare City excursion into the West Ham half brought them a free-kick on the angle of the penalty area when Matthew Upson felled Gardner. The West Ham defender was yellow carded for his misdemeanour but City failed to take advantage of the resultant free-kick. West Ham made a further change just after the hour when Ilan replaced Mido. City responded by removing Keith Fahey and introducing James McFadden. But the home side went 2-0 in front in the 67th minute when Faubert's right-wing cross was met by a diving header from Cole that went in off the far post. McFadden's cross hit Matthew Upson on the arm in the box at the other end but no penalty was awarded, while the Blues should have reduced the deficit with six minutes remaining but Phillips shot high over the bar with just Green to beat. It was their last chance as the home side held on to climb into 14th position and ease the pressure, temporarily at least, on Zola.

West Ham United	Team Statistics	Birmingham City
2	Goals	0
1	1st Half Goals	0
8	Shots on Target	2
4	Shots off Target	7
2	Blocked Shots	2
3	Corners	6
14	Fouls	9
3	Offsides	4
1	Yellow Cards	2
0	Red Cards	0
71.4	Passing Success	73
23	Tackles	27
82.6	Tackles Success	63
47.8	Possession	52.2
46.7	Territorial Advantage	53.3