Harry Redknapp made a triumphant return to West Ham United as Tottenham Hotspur secured a 2-0 victory at Upton Park.
King and O'Hara earn the spoils in East London
Harry Redknapp made a triumphant return to West Ham United as Tottenham Hotspur secured a 2-0 victory at Upton Park on Monday.
The Spurs boss left West Ham in 2001, moving on to two spells at Portsmouth, separated by a stint at Southampton, before taking charge at White Hart Lane in October.
And on a first trip to East London with capital rivals Tottenham, Redknapp was treated to a mixed reception before second-half goals from Ledley King and Jamie O'Hara ensured the 61-year-old has yet to sample defeat on his old stamping ground as a visiting manager.
Spurs had the best chance of the opening 45 minutes as Roman Pavlyuchenko turned an Aaron Lennon cross against the post, while West Ham goalkeeper Robert Green had earlier denied David Bentley.
Redknapp, though, then saw his side take the lead in the 68th minute as King - who had not scored in three years - rose above a crowded penalty area to head a Lennon assist into the ground and up past Green.
West Ham, who handed Diego Tristan his debut in the closing stages, fought back and Spurs' Benoit Assou-Ekotto was fortunate to avoid a hand-ball claim in the 18-yard area.
In the final minute, Hammers forward David Di Michele wasted a golden opportunity, firing straight at Heurelho Gomes from point blank range, allowing Tottenham to break and substitute O'Hara fired in from 20 yards.
Croatian midfielder Luka Modric returned to the Spurs side after recovering from a groin injury and the visitors started well.
Fiery
Lennon's cross found David Bentley at the far post on the edge of the box but the shot was tame and did not stretch Green.
Craig Bellamy was in a fiery mood. He took exception to a hefty challenge from Didier Zokora and the pair exchanged words and the odd shove before referee Chris Foy intervened with a word of warning.
West Ham edged the first-half possession with Scott Parker busy in midfield and Bellamy energetic up front and at the heart of the Hammers' best attacking moments.
He linked well with Carlton Cole, Valon Behrami and Hayden Mullins but for all their possession, West Ham could not open Tottenham up as their problems up front continue. They have now scored just once in four Premier League games.
West Ham did have the ball in the net after 22 minutes, when Jenas turned Bellamy's corner past his own keeper, but it was scratched off because Lucas Neill was climbing all over the Tottenham midfielder.
Behrami then latched onto Carlton Cole's lay-off and closed in on the box, only to be hauled down from behind in an ungainly fashion by Bentley.
The free-kick was teed up for James Collins whose low strike was deflected wide for another corner, which this time Heurelho Gomes punched confidently away.
Bellamy then saw his shot blocked on the edge of the area before he pulled another across goal and wide of Gomes' right post.
West Ham may have enjoyed the better of possession but Spurs had their moments. Modric's tricky run was halted by a determined challenge from James Collins and Lennon's deep cross found Bentley at the far post but his header did not test Green.
Spurs upped the tempo just before half-time and were unfortunate not to go ahead after working two chances in as many minutes.
Neill's clearing header fell straight to Bentley, who caught the half-volley clean and true but was denied by a brilliant diving save from Green, who punched the ball clear for a throw-in.
Spurs kept the pressure on and Pavlyuchenko stretched to meet a low cross from Lennon at the far post but he could only push the ball onto the post.
Tottenham continued to turn the screw after the interval as West Ham struggled to keep pace with the tempo.
Weapon
Lennon, their most dangerous attacking weapon, broke clear but was tracked all the way by Parker who pulled off a perfectly-timed challenge just as the Spurs winger prepared to shoot.
Redknapp made his first change just 10 minutes into the second half and Darren Bent, replacing Pavlyuchenko, brought a new dimension to their attack.
Spurs had a strong claims for a penalty when Ilunga raised his arms to block Vedran Corluka's cross but their appeals were waved away.
Modric, Jenas and Lennon opened West Ham up with slick one-touch football but Bent, who had escaped Collins in the box, turned his shot wide before Zokora saw his low drive blocked by Green.
But Tottenham's pressure told and it was Lennon who engineered the breakthrough with a delightful cross for King to power a downward header past the keeper's despairing dive.
Zola sent on Di Michele and Tristan in search of an equaliser and it almost paid off as the Hammers threw everything forward.
Di Michele tried to squeeze space at the near post but was closed out and then West Ham were denied by a point-blank save from Gomes to deny the Italian after the ball had ricocheted around the Spurs area.
And as West Ham fans stood head in hands, Spurs broke straight down field and O'Hara sealed with victory with a long-range strike.
| West Ham United |
Team Statistics |
Tottenham Hotspur |
| 0 |
Goals |
2 |
| 0 |
1st Half Goals |
0 |
| 3 |
Shots on Target |
9 |
| 7 |
Shots off Target |
3 |
| 7 |
Blocked Shots |
3 |
| 7 |
Corners |
5 |
| 14 |
Fouls |
18 |
| 6 |
Offsides |
1 |
| 2 |
Yellow Cards |
0 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
| 75.4 |
Passing Success |
79.2 |
| 20 |
Tackles |
24 |
| 65 |
Tackles Success |
75 |
| 48.8 |
Possession |
51.2 |
| 38.9 |
Territorial Advantage |
61.1 |
|
