Jordan at the double to get Bentley purring
AFTER years of angst, West Ham fans finally found a son of a former player to love at Stamford Bridge.
Third-choice keeper David Martin produced the unlikeliest clean sheet of the season on a fairytale Premier League debut.
For once the anti-Frank Lampard songs were toned down – drowned out by tunes in praise of the offspring of Hammers legend Alvin Martin.
That was even before Aaron Cresswell’s
48th-minute strike delivered a first win in nine games to take the pressure off Manuel Pellegrini.
The under-pressure Chilean was supposedly two games away from the sack.
Not now, not after this gritty display, which even overcame Michail Antonio having a
68th-minute goal disallowed by VAR. Pellegrini said: “My big worry this week was not my job or the future but getting the players to keep believing in what we were doing and they showed that today.”
Martin fell to the ground at the final whistle and shed tears of exhilaration and sheer relief as he was embraced by his team-mates.
Then having celebrated a first West Ham win at the Bridge since September 2002 with an ecstatic away end, Martin climbed into the stand behind the dugout to hug his watching father.
Martin, 33, said: “It still doesn’t feel real. I’m just pleased I got through it, didn’t let anyone down and actually I enjoyed it in the end.
“My dad didn’t say much – I think we were both in tears.”
Having been questioned all week about his future, Pellegrini issued his version of the war mantra ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’ on Thursday.
But that did not apply to calamity keeper Roberto who was finally dropped after conceding
19 goals in eight winless games.
So it meant that for the second time this season Pellegrini handed a veteran goalkeeper a Premier League debut.
It looked as if Martin was putting his faith elsewhere before kick-off as he dropped down on to one knee in his six-yard box. There was a quick glance up to the sky followed by a deep intake of breath.
Then came the release. Reece James fired a sixth-minute cross straight into the grateful arms of the former Millwall and MK Dons keeper.
Relieved travelling fans blasted out a nervous rendition of, “There’s only one David Martin”.
By half-time they were willing to let him sleep with their wives.
The ever-willing Antonio had forced the save of the first half with a close-range header from a Ryan Fredericks cross.
But there was nothing Chelsea keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga could do to prevent Cresswell bagging his third goal of the season just after half-time.
The left-back collected the ball off Pablo Fornals and cut inside James before curling a right-foot shot into the right corner.
It knocked Chelsea flat. The hosts rarely threatened after that as crosses from either flank were mopped up by Fabian Balbuena and Angelo Ogbonna.
At the other end Balbuena was denied by another outstanding reaction save from Kepa.
Then Antonio was ruled to handled the ball before bundling in Snodgrass’s cross.
It meant West Ham and Martin had to endure an anxious five minutes of injury time.
Pulisic fired wildly wide in the first of those to ensure Martin’s dream day was not spoiled.
Chelsea boss Lampard said: “We did not perform as well as we wanted to do.
“My gripe this season has been we have not converted enough of the chances we have been making. Today we did not create quite enough.”
JIM BENTLEY’S of the National League booked their place in the FA Cup Third Round with a 2-0 win at seventh-tier
The Isthmian League Premier Division hosts had beaten League Two Macclesfield 4-0 in the first round.
However, there was to be no repeat as Jordan Williams put the visitors in front after nine minutes and doubled the Coasters’ advantage in first-half stoppage time.
National League North
were denied a replay when Brett Pitman struck in stoppage time to give a 2-1 win at Fratton Park.
Tom Pope bagged a hat-trick in eight second-half minutes as
came from behind to win 3-1 at
and drew 2-2 at The New Lawn. Aaron Collins headed Rovers in front before a Nathan Thomas double put the visitors in front. But Matthew Stevens levelled in the 78th minute.
Liam Boyce’s strike midway through the first half proved enough to give a 1-0 win at won 1-0 at where James Henry scored with just six minutes left. finished with 10 men but grabbed a late 2-0 win over
The hosts had midfielder Ollie Norburn sent off on the hour following a foul on Jacob Mellis.
Josh Laurent bundled the ball in with just a minute left and Brad Walker added a second in stoppage time.
IN the only League Two game yesterday, Macclesfield and Bradford drew 1-1. Former Everton striker James Vaughan went from zero to hero – his equaliser made amends for a shocking first-half miss. Macc’s Jak McCourt had opened the scoring from the spot. Connor Kirby was dismissed late on for a second yellow for the hosts.