premier league
HULL CITY 2
Robertson (53), Ranocchia (85)
WEST HAM 1
Carroll (18)
ANDREA RANOCCHIA’S late winner earned Hull another crucial home win in the fight to avoid the drop and heaped more pressure on West Ham boss Slaven Bilic.
Italian defender Ranocchia, signed on loan from Inter Milan in January, headed home in the 85th minute to secure Hull the points at the KCOM Stadium as Andrew Robertson’s strike after the break had cancelled out West Ham striker Andy Carroll’s landmark opener.
It was Hull’s fourth win in five games at home under head coach Marco Silva and lifted them level on points with Swansea, who play Middlesbrough today, while West Ham slumped to a four th straight defeat.
The visit of West Ham had been billed as the return of winger Robert Snodgrass, sold to the Londoners for £ 10.2million in January, but the Scot made little impact and was withdrawn in the second half.
Snodgrass was booed every time he was on the ball, but almost silenced the Tigers fans in the 13th minute when he headed Sofia neFeghoul i’ s bouncing right-wing cross straight at keeper Eldin Jakupovic.
West Ham took the lead with their next chance five minutes later.
Hull skipper Curtis Davies misjudged his headed clearance from Aaron Cresswell’s excellent cross and, as the ball dropped invitingly for Carroll six yards out, the big No.9 kept his composure to side-foot home on the volley for his 50th Premier League goal and seventh of the season.
Jakupovic denied West Ham a second soon after when he turned away Manuel Lanzini’s dipping, low shot from outside the area.
Hull tried to rally and only some desperate defending denied Oumar
Niasse a shooting chance in the area.
An out-of-sorts Davies was withdrawn for winger Kamil Grosicki at the inter val as Silva looked to inject some vigour into his side.
Hull’s best move of the match saw Robertson run into the area and bury a low left- footed shot into the net.
Hull threatened again when Alfred N’Diaye’s right- footed effort hit a post and Grosicki fired the rebound wide.
Silva sent on midfielder Markus Henriksen and Shaun Maloney for Abel Hernandez and N’Diaye with 10 minutes left and, three minutes later, his side snatched the lead.
Grosicki curled in a corner from the left and Ranocchia rose 10 yards out at the near post and directed a fine header beyond Randolph and into the net.