Hull 1-0 West Ham: Hammers added to Hull's capital punishment list

After adding West Ham to their collection of capital scalps, the scoreline should read London 0 Hull 4.

Apologies to Hull band The Housemartins for pinching that line from their 1986 album, but wins against Fulham, Arsenal, Tottenham and now the Hammers underline the Tigers' magnificent start to life in the top flight.

The dream goes on and Phil Brown's side and their disbelieving supporters are back up to third after Manchester United had the cheek to displace them on Saturday.

Fergie should know his place and not since Nottingham Forest in 1994 have a promoted side hit the ground running with the speed that Hull have.

With 17 points already to their name, they are nearly halfway towards their preseason target of survival and 40 points. But Brown is far too shrewd to think that Hull have got the Premier League cracked after just eight games.

Their third successive win came courtesy of the head of Michael Turner, and the Charlton reject is right at home in the top flight.

The giant defender looks more assured with every game at this level and is a real threat from set - pieces as he demonstrated with his goal from Andy Dawson's corner.

For West Ham their rollercoaster season continues and Gianfranco Zola's side might have snatched a point had Carlton Cole's shot not bounced out off the underside of the bar. While their financial worries off the pitch grow-and they still have no shirt sponsor - there are signs that they are getting it together.

The return of Craig Bellamy from injury is a big boost. He scampered down the left and put in a great cross to Cole only for the West Ham striker to shoot straight at Bo Myhill.

Herita Ilunga recreated a George Best-Gordon Banks moment when he knocked the ball out of Myhill's hands and scored with an overhead kick to earn himself a booking from referee Chris Foy for dangerous play.

Zola felt the goal might have stood and said: "He didn't touch the goalkeeper and I'm not totally convinced."

The DR Congo international defender, signed on loan from Toulouse last month, should have done better when he headed wide from Mark Noble's corner.

Hull's chances were more speculative and Dean Marney hit a right-foot volley wide from Marlon King's great run down the left before firing over from 30 yards out. The Hammers then should have been reduced to 10 men when Ilunga clattered into Marney.

Perhaps thinking that the full-back's first booking had been harsh, Foy let what was unquestionably a bookable offence go unpunished to avoid controversially sending him off in the hope that two wrongs would make a right.

Up until this point, the Hull fans must have been wondering if their afternoon would have been better spent at the Hull Fair next door, which had caused the game to be put back 24 hours. But one of Brown's great strengths as a manager is his motivational powers and at half-time he told his side to get into the faces of the West Ham players - or words to that effect.

Suddenly there was an urgency and drive to Hull's play, and King fired just past the top right-hand corner in a sign of their new menace.

They took the lead on 50 minutes from yet another set piece when Turner rose highest at the back post to head home Dawson's corner from six yards out.

The goal sparked West Ham into action and 90 seconds later, Cole turned on Valon Behrami's pass and crashed a shot against the underside of the bar.

Finally we had a game and George Boateng wound up his ageing legs to crack a shot just over before Matthew Etherington spurned a great chance to equalise midway through the half.

Cole produced a strong run down the left and floated the ball over to him at the back post, where the former Tottenham midfielder fired into the side-netting.

The look on Bellamy's face said it all and Etherington thumped the ground in frustration. If only he had been as accurate with his feet, West Ham might have earned a point. Instead, the Hull fans among the KC's 24,896-strong record crowd, chanted "easy, easy" at the final whistle.

It was party time in the home dressing room and Brown said: "They put music on and dance.

In my day we used to have half a dozen pints to celebrate, but footballers are different these days."

Hull City : Myhill 6, McShane 6, Turner 8, Zayatte 7, Dawson 6, Marney 6, Boateng 6 (Hughes 72, 5), Ashbee 6, Geovanni 6 (Halmosi 73, 5), King 6, Cousin 6 (Garcia 82). GOAL: Turner 51,
West Ham: Green 6, Faubert 5 (Di Michele 73, 5), Neill 6, Upson 6, Ilunga 6, Behrami 6, Parker 5, Noble 5, Etherington 4 (Sears 82), Bellamy 6, Cole 6.
Referee: Chris Foy.
Attendance: 24, 896

MAN OF THE MATCH
8 Michael Turner (HULL CITY)
Six feet four inches tall and every inch a Premier League defender.

VILLAIN OF THE MATCH
4 Chris Foy
Bottled sending off Herita Ilunga after putting himself in a corner by booking him.

NEXT THREE GAMES
HULL CITY
Saturday: West Brom (a) Prem
Wed Oct 29: Chelsea (h) Prem
Sat Nov 1: Man Utd (a) Prem

WEST HAM
Sunday: Arsenal (h) Prem
Wed Oct 29: Man Utd (a) Prem
Sat Nov 1: Boro (a) Prem

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