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Cole fires City up to fourth

16/10/2005

Manchester City have moved up to fourth in the Premiership with a well-deserved victory over West Ham.

Andrew Cole scored in either half as City cruised to a 2-1 win at the City of Manchester Stadium.

The scoreline flattered the visitors and City came close to taking the lead on ten minutes, yet Yossi Benayoun cleared Danny Mills' goal-bound flick off Kiki Musampa's dangerous corner.

Cole, who recently turned 34, has formed a good partnership with fellow new signing Darius Vassell already this season and it was this combination which broke the deadlock.

The former Manchester United striker opened the scoring on 18 minutes, latching onto Vassell's back heel, after an interchange of passes, to curl a shot past Roy Carroll from a difficult angle.

City poured forward at will and Paul Konchesky cleared Vassell's shot off the line after the former Villa man had been picked out by Musampa.

The Hammers rarely threatened David James' goal, yet felt hard done by when Marlon Harewood thought he had been hauled down by Nedum Onuoha, while closing down on goal, only for the referee to wave play on.

Sylvain Distin was also on hand to thwart Harewood, who was looking to connect to a Matthew Etherington cross.

Onuoha came close to doubling City's advantage just before the interval, yet his goal-bound attempt was hacked off the line by Konchesky.

After the break, Cole shot straight at Roy Carroll, while Etherington had a chance to equalise only to be thwarted by James when clean through.

Vassell threatened Carroll's goal before Cole deservedly extended City's lead on 56 minutes.

Cole tucked home the loose ball after Musampa's shot was saved by Carroll.

The game continued at an electric pace and both Benayoun and Musampa had presentable opportunities at either end.

Cole could have capped off a fine afternoon's work with a hat-trick, yet fired wide when he had time to pick his spot.

However the scoring was not over and Bobby Zamora notched his first Premiership goal to close the deficit in injury time.

The former Brighton and Spurs striker took the ball round James and slotted home after being picked out magnificently by Benayoun.


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