Bubbling Hammers back in top flight, as Hearts demolish Hibs

WEST Ham United won a typically tense and scrappy Championship play-off final thanks to an 87th-minute goal from Ricardo Vaz Te, which put the Hammers back in the Premier League with a 2-1 win over Blackpool at Wembley Stadium yesterday.

Ian Holloway’s Blackpool had much the better of the opening exchanges, with Matt Phillips missing two chances, but it was the London side that took the lead after Carlton Cole deftly controlled Matt Taylor’s diagonal pass and slotted the ball past Matt Gilks in the 34th minute.

Thomas Ince, son of Paul and booed throughout the game by West Ham fans, drew Blackpool level after getting on the end of a cross-field pass and squeezing past his marker, Winston Reid, to guide the ball past Robert Green.

Blackpool had the momentum, were keeping possession and soaking up West Ham pressure.

Things did not seem to be going the Londoners’ way, especially when Gilks turned a fine Kevin Nolan volley on to the bar. However, Cole got in the way of Gilks and a loose ball fell to Vaz Te, who lashed the ball into the roof of the net.

And in Glasgow, Hearts crushed local rivals Hibernian 5-1 at Hampden Park yesterday to win the first all-edinburgh Scottish Cup final since 1896.

Hearts, who last won the competition in 2006, surged into a two-goal lead thanks to Darren Barr and Rudi Skacel before James Mcpake pulled one back for Hibs before the break.

Soon after half-time Hibs defender Pa Saikou Kujabi was sent off in conceding a penalty, which was converted by Danny Grainger, and goals from Ryan Mcgowan and Skacel completed the rout.

Hibernian's losing run in the competition now extends to 110 years. – SAPA-AFP