It’s Paul right now as Costa cracks it
WEST HAM:
Lucky, lucky West Ham made it two wins and six points in four days as skipper Mark Noble was again their match-winning hero.
He got the only goal against Burnley last Wednesday three minutes into first-half stoppage time when he slid home the loose ball after Tom Heaton had saved his penalty.
And this time he made no mistake from the spot, sending David Marshall the wrong way to leave Hull wondering just what they have to do to get a win.
Boss Phelan could do with a saviour like Noble if his team are to survive in the Premier League and believes he might have that man in the shape of on-loan signing Dieumerci Mbokani.
The only trouble is the Congo striker is built like a light-heavyweight but too often has the punch of a super-featherweight.
And he certainly doesn’t have the coolness under pressure that is such a built-in part of Noble’s make-up.
Hull were furious when referee Lee Mason pointed to the spot and they probably had a case although you could see why he gave it.
Nobody was angrier than skipper Michael Dawson who thought that he had cleared the danger after Michail Antonio went down in a tussle with Tom Huddlestone.
Dawson was convinced that the former Spurs midfielder had been fouled seconds earlier as Antonio blocked him off and the Hammers’ top scorer did not hesitate to go down once he felt Huddlestone’s hand.
But Hull should not have left themselves in the position where one goal would decide it.
Besides Mbokani’s efforts the Tigers twice struck the post in the first 15 minutes of the second half.
Noble, trying to stop Andrew Robertson’s cross, headed against his own woodwork with keeper Darren Randolph beaten.
And when Hull’s Scottish left-back decided to have a go himself, his shot bounced back off the far post before Angelo Ogbonna belted it behind for a corner. Robertson showed he can defend by clearing Andre Ayew’s header off the line as Hull had their first major scare. But they quickly swept down to the other end and Harry Maguire
powered his HULL: header just inside the post only to see the Hammers’ second half-time sub, Edimilson Fernandes, head clear from underneath his own bar.
It was cruel fortune for Phelan’s strugglers especially as it came after a first half they totally dominated to leave the home fans grumbling, moaning and booing their own team.
Mbokani returned to lead the attack following a three-match suspension and rattled the post after being first to latch onto a sloppy backpass from Aaron Cresswell.
He evaded Randolph’s attempt to stop him but the ball hit the foot of the post and rolled agonisingly across the goalmouth with nobody near enough to get a touch.
The African had already seen Robert Snodgrass denied by Cheikhou Kouyate after he found him with a chip and then fired wide with his own first effort on goal. Then Mbokani failed to hit the target with an excellent volley after he had cushioned the ball on his chest. Not surprisingly he tired and cut a lonely figure on the bench after being subbed as he witnessed Noble’s rescue act, knowing with a little more composure he could have changed the game.
It has been a great week for West Ham boss Slaven Bilic – seven points from two home games and the 2-2 draw at Liverpool – but he was the first to offer genuine consoling words to Phelan and his shellshocked side at the final whistle.
He said: “I told Mike and his players that they looked very good.
“Believe me, for a long period of the game it looked like they deserved something. You are talking about the first half, 60 minutes.
“It wasn’t good enough. We gave them a couple of balls, one backpass and another ball we lost in a dangerous area.
“We needed to change a couple of players and in the second half, the last half an hour we stepped up a gear, won all the second balls and we got a penalty. These two games were a l l about results and were very demanding and we got six points which was the main objective. “Our position is much better than it was a week ago and I now expect us to play with much more confidence and freedom.” Bilic also praised Noble for stepping up again, adding: “You have to have great courage and he showed why he’s the captain. “He takes the responsibility and it was very important.” Phelan (left) said: “We find ourselves at the bottom of the league after we played probably our best game of the season. To lose the game 1-0 is difficult to accept but the result should have been decided before then. “At this level you have got to be ruthless. We have hit the woodwork three times, had one cleared off the line and missed other chances. “I’m not going to talk about the ref but I’m sure everyone else will look at the penalty time after time.” PAUL LAMBERT claimed just his second win as Wolves boss in a lacklustre clash at the City Ground.
Wolves took two of their few chances in emphatic style as goals in each half from Helder Costa and Ivan Cavaleiro secured a much-needed win in the Scot’s sixth game in charge.
And Lambert believes things are starting to fall into place, saying: “It is night and day since I came in.
“Some of the things you started to unearth at that club, some of the things that were happening...
“This does feel like a big three points because this is a local game for us and the amount of people who came to support us was great.”
Forest boss Philippe Montanier said: “It was a disappointing afternoon.
“In the first half we let them have only one shot and that was for the goal.
“We had a positive reaction at the start of the second half but after that we made too many big mistakes.
“Even though we had 10 injured players, I do believe I have a squad and this was a good opportunity for some players to show their quality.”
Neither side managed an effort on goal until the 24th minute when Forest’s Jorge Grant lifted an effort over the bar from 20 yards after a neat knockdown from Matty Cash.
Wolves took the lead in the 40th minute when Jack Price fed the ball to Costa on the wing and he carried the ball into the box before beating Vladimir Stojkovic from the tightest of angles.
Forest almost levelled soon after when Ben Osborn’s first-time connection with a Cash cross flashed narrowly wide of the far post and again when Matt Mills forced a save from Carl Ikeme with a driven shot from 18 yards.
Costa almost added a second when he powered a free-kick towards the corner of the net but Stojkovic made an important save and Cavaleiro fired over as Wolves pushed again.
The pair combined for the second goal in the 79th minute with Costa turning neatly before giving Cavaleiro the simple task of slotting home from 10 yards – which he did confidently.