Andy Carroll gave Roy Hodgson a timely reminder of his talents as he inspired West Ham to an impressive win that eased any lingering hopes of relegation at Upton Park. He was not in Hodgson's party for England's trip to Montenegro on Tuesday and on this evidence Hodgson will surely considering recalling him for this summer's friendlies against the Republic of Ireland and Brazil. The towering striker brushed off his marker and thumped a header past Ben Foster to put the Hammers ahead and then powered home a well-taken volley after Gary O'Neil had made it 2-0.
Carroll had been the butt of criticism from Sam Allardyce in midweek for his lack of goals, but the way he toyed with the Baggies back line, and the way he took his fourth and fifth goals for the club, may force his manager to push through plans to keep the striker beyond the end of the season.
A West Ham victory did not look on the cards in the early stages as West Brom came flying out of the blocks on biting cold afternoon. However, as Carroll began to exert his influence on the game, West Ham all of a sudden looked far more threatening. He broke the deadlock after 16 minutes, rising above the Jonas Olsson to thump O'Neil's corner past a stunned Foster.
West Ham continued to pile on the pressure and their dominance paid off with O'Neil's goal just before the half hour. Ricardo Vaz Tê charged at the West Brom defence before laying the ball off to O'Neil, who clipped the ball over a diving Olsson and Foster to make it 2-0.
West Brom played much better after the restart, with Romelu Lukaku looking the most likely to score. The bustling Belgian shrugged O'Neil off the ball as he cantered towards goal, but his fierce drive sailed a foot over the angle.
The substitute Peter Odemwingie provided West Brom with more energy when he came on, but Carroll put the game beyond doubt with a marvellous volley that he dispatched past Foster from Collins's long ball. West Brom pulled one back three minutes from the end when Graham Dorrans beat Jussi Jaaskelainen after Matt Taylor tangled with Lukaku in the box.
Youssouf Mulumbu ensured West Brom's afternoon ended on a low, though when he picked the ball up after becoming annoyed at not being awarded a foul and stupidly blasted the ball at O'Neil's back. Then referee had no choice but to show him red. A late injury to George McCartney, who had just returned from a four-month lay-off, failed to dampen the spirits of the West Ham fans.
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