Town got back into away winning ways with an excellent 1-0 victory at Upton Park over a West Ham side that rarely showed their talents. Town were dominant virtually from beginning to end, but on an afternoon when chances were rare it took a Martijn Reuser special to win the game for the Blues.

Town lined up with the defence that let in two second half goals last week at Aston Villa. Makin carried on at left-back and Hreidarsson stayed at centre-half. The returning Mark Venus was on the bench. Marcus Stewart returned up front alongside Alun Armstrong. Mark Burchill and James Scowcroft also sat out, along with Jamie Clapham with Martijn Reuser continuing on the left of midfield.

Town started the brighter side and it quickly became clear that West Ham were happy to sit back and allow Town possession hoping to catch us on the break using the guile of Di Canio, Cole and Kanoute.

Town went close on 12 minutes when Jermaine Wright hit a shot which went just wide of Shaka Hislop’s post while Fabian Wilnis hit one of his daisy-cutters but the ball ran wide.

At the other end Stuart Pearce hit a couple of shots which went well over as well as a freekick which Wright had little trouble with. Town fans regaled the geriatric defender asking where his Zimmer Frame was. Paolo Di Canio got similar treatment in song although he was linked with a trip back home: “Paolo Di Canio, he’s off to Lazio…”

Town’s best opportunity came when referee Dean controversially gave the Blues a freekick eight yards from goal after an alleged passback. The ball was rolled to Matt Holland whose shot hit the wall and cannoned out harmlessly.

The game was bright and both sides were trying to pass the ball around. However, few chances were being created and it looked like one goal could make all the difference. Too many of Town’s crosses were being cut out, but with the Hammers looking out of sorts Town were looking good for their first away win since the win at Liverpool on December 10th.

Jermaine Wright had a looping shot just fail to creep into the corner of Hislop’s net just before half-time while at the other end Wright denied Kanoute twice in a minute. First he dived at the Frenchman’s feet as he cut in from the right, then he rushed out to beat the West Ham striker to the ball.

Half-time came and it was the Town fans applauding while the home contingent were largely silent, as they had been from the beginning. The break saw two changes from the Hammers with Cole and Schemmel replaced by Todorov and Moncur.

The changes led to Town settling slower in the first half but they were soon on top. Marcus Stewart had Town’s best opportunity so far when he got on the end of an excellent Martijn Reuser cross from the left. Unfortunately the returning striker headed over when he should really have done better.

The Blues were putting the pressure on now, but as in the first half chances were hard to come by. On the hour the ball came to Marcus Stewart just inside the West Ham box with his back to goal. He tried to get the ball under control and move it back to the midfield as they pushed up and as he did so Stuart Pearce caught him and he fell to the ground. Referee Dean immediately blew up but to the surprise of the Town players awarded a freekick just outside the box rather than the penalty. Stewart had clearly been inside the box when he was fouled although he did fall outside and this might have fooled the referee. Town discussed the issue at length and tried to persuade the official to talk to his linesman. Neither seemed to want to involve himself in discussions and Town had to settle for the freekick right on the edge of the area. To be fair to the referee he made sure the wall was the correct distance back as Martijn Reuser prepared to step up. The Dutchman hit his kick perfectly to Hislop’s left leaving the keeper no chance for his third stunning goal in three matches.

As so often this season Town appeared to have really got the bit between their teeth for the next few minutes. Makin rushed forward and Reuser got in another shot which this time failed to beat Hislop.

West Ham were trying to get control of the game, but they were failing to get hold of the ball for long periods and Town were attacking confidently and with pace. Armstrong was put away down the right and could have squared the ball to either Magilton or Stewart who were both well placed. Magilton had a shot deflected just over while Reuser had another shot, this time after cutting in from the right.

As the game moved into the last ten minutes it was Town largely keeping West Ham in their own half, but the usual late flurry from the side behind did finally appear, but to little effect.

Paolo Di Canio got himself rather over-excited when he was challenged by Fabian Wilnis on the left-hand side of the Town box. Referee Dean, the Town players and the Town fans thought Wilnis had got the ball while Di Canio was certain it was a penalty and took out his frustrations first on the post (a kick) and then on the ball which was hammered against a hoarding.

After two minutes of injury time the whistle blew as Richard Wright prepared to take a freekick. Town had got back to winning ways away form home and the chance of trips further afield to more exotic places than East London are still well on the cards.

Photo: Action Images

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