David Nugent had the opening goal in Burnley's 2-1 win over West Ham. (Photo: Zumapress)
A goal and an assist from Burnley debutant Daniel Fox gave manager Brian Laws his first win at Turf Moor, lifting the struggling Clarets out of the drop zone with a 2-1 victory over a West Ham,
The loss dropped Gianfranco Zola’s side back into the relegation zone, with the Hammers sitting 18th after the final whistle.
Goals by David Nugent and Fox had Burnley up two after 55 minutes. A late West Ham goal from new acquisition Ilan proved consolation at the final whistle.
Though Burnley took control of the match at its onset, it was a defensive mistake from the Hammers that gifted the home side their first goal.
A long ball from Fox seemed to bounce innocently behind West Ham’s Matthew Upson, but a slow reaction from the center half allowed Burnley striker David Nugent to beat him to the ball. Hammer goalkeeper Robert Green, seemingly confused hile waiting for Upson to head the ball back, was caught well off his line, allowing Nugent’s lob over the ‘keeper and into net to open the scoring in the twelfth minute.
Half-way through the first, forward Benni McCarthy – making his West Ham debut – had the Hammers’ first scoring opportunity and nearly created another minutes later, with the South African striker making a poor decision to roll a ball across the six from eight meters out (rather than put a shot on goal).
In the 32nd minute McCarthy came within inches of equalizing after a great play by Scott Parker put the striker alone on goalkeeper Brian Jensen, One touch put McCarthy around the ‘keeper but the ball rolled toward the empty net was kept out by a sliding Leon Cort, who had been beaten by McCarthy’s run to Parker’s ball.
At halftime Zola replaced McCarthy the second of his three new strikers, bringing Mido in, and while the Egyptian whistled a powerful, 16-meter shot wide of the near post four minutes into the half, the change had little effect on the match.
In the 55th minute, Burnley found (what would become) the winning goal.
Right back Tyrone Mears drew a foul just outside the West Ham penalty area to the wide left of Robert Green’s goal. Daniel Fox’s left footed strike curled into the upper, far corner to give the defender a debut goal and his club a 2-0 lead.
Fox came over from Celtic last week for £1.8 million, and providing the difference in a six-pointer, Fox may have already justified his fee, giving Burnley a critical three points against a fellow relegation-battler.
That result came into doubt in the 81st minute when Ilan, the third of the newest Hammer strikers, pulled West Ham within one.
Carlton Cole, holding up a ball in the Burnley box about 16 meters from goal, turned a chipped a ball to the middle of the area. Jensen came off his line for the ball but failed to get to it before if found Ilan, who put it into an empty net.
West Ham nearly tied the score through Mido in the 90th minute but was unable to find an equalizer, allowing the Clarets to pass them on the table.
West Ham is now winless in five.
For Burnley, it was their first win since October 31, when they defeated Hull 2-0 at Turf Moor. The Clarets carried a twelve match winless, four match losing streak into the match.
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