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Hammers cruise to deserved victory

West Ham got back to winning ways in style against Watford on Tuesday with an excellent performance at Vicarage Road.

The Hammers went into the game knowing that they couldn’t really afford to fall further behind the pack in the race to qualify for the Champions League.

And goals from Tomas Soucek, Said Benrahma, a Mark Noble penalty and Nikola Vlasic ensured that the Irons recorded a 4-1 win away from home.

It was actually Watford, who were coming off the back of a lengthy COVID-enforced break from playing, who took the lead.

Emmanuel Dennis got free and ran into the box, sat down Craig Dawson with a clever dummy, and lashed a finish into the top corner after just four minutes.

One had to wonder if it would be a long afternoon for the Irons after that but David Moyes’ men rallied well and scored twice within two minutes.

First, Soucek thumped a finish into the bottom corner after a beautiful Bowen through ball, and Said Benrahma then added a second after Mikey Antonio sprinted down the left flank and cut the ball back for the Algeria international.

Bowen thought he had made it 3-1 just after the restart in the second half but his excellent volleyed finish was ruled out for a Soucek foul in the build-up.

West Ham did get back to 3-1, though, through Noble, when he scored from the penalty spot after goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann fouled Bowen in the box.

Watford did what they could to come back into the game late on but were unable to find a way through a staunch Hammers rearguard, and Vlasic added a fourth late on after a wonderful Bowen cut-back, simply passing the ball into an empty net.

Three points and a real boost ahead of the New Year’s Day clash with Crystal Palace.

 

About Dave Langton

A journalist with 10 years' experience of working on National newspapers, now chief reporter covering the club that I've loved since I was a boy. Upton Park remains the greatest football stadium ever built.

One comment on “Hammers cruise to deserved victory

  1. That was an emotional roller coaster. I was fuming at the ref after the non-existent Soucek foul and ruled out Bowen’s goal but I didn’t really think it was a penalty. Happy to see Vlasic get his first for us.

    ‘Jingle Bells Jingle Bells………..
    Back to 5th!
    3 days to recoup for Palace!

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