Why West Ham's win over Aston Villa was all the sweeter for the abundance of Academy players that played their part

By Jacob Steinberg in West Ham United Fans Blog

Published 16:32 07/11/09

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They say good things come to those who wait. West Ham know the feeling. They have waited long enough for their second victory of the season. Since the opening day of the season to be precise, and it was not until the 93rd minute against Aston Villa that they could be sure of securing three points to lift up to 16th place. The dramatic late winner, scored by Zavon Hines, was not only a relief for West Ham, but another triumph for the club’s much-vaunted youth academy.

Hines was only on the pitch due to an injury to Carlton Cole after 31 minutes. The sharp intake of breath around Upton Park when Cole pulled up with a damaged hamstring was ominously audible, so important has the muscular and increasingly potent striker become to locating West Ham’s hidden fortunes. But Hines, a pacy hustler and sharp shooter, provided a different alternative for Aston Villa to counter.

While few might have expected Cole’s withdrawal to mark a turning point in the game, it strangely altered proceedings. Not that West Ham would like to be without Cole for too long, but Villa were happier with him on the pitch. James Collins and Richard Dunne have never been noted for their speed on the ground, and Hines was exactly the sort of striker they’d rather not have faced.

Until then Villa had put the squeeze on West Ham, pushing up the pitch and controlling the game. Robert Green had to save brilliantly from Stiliyan Petrov’s deflected volley and smartly from Gabriel Agbonlahor, who flicked a header over soon after. Hines’s presence forced them to take a step back, and just before half time, he was fouled by Habib Beye to win the penalty from which Mark Noble slammed West Ham into the lead.

Although West Ham began the night level on points with the league’s bottom club, Portsmouth, performances had not been in line with their lowly position. An alarming propensity to gift opponents hope has contributed however. The most recent lapse had been last Saturday, when West Ham led Sunderland 2-0, before allowing ten men to rescue a 2-2 draw.

Villa predictably looked to capitalise on this frailty in a whirlwind start to the second half. First the referee Steve Bennett awarded the visitors the softest of soft penalties for the impressive Manuel Da Costa’s apparent push on Collins, but Green saved Ashley Young’s weak effort. Minutes later, Young made amends. Only he will know if his goal was intentional, a curler which surprised Green and found the top corner, but it looked suspiciously like a cross.

West Ham have been known to collapse as a result of such concessions. Yet inspired by Hines, they grew sturdier instead. His speed allowed him to reach even the most hopeful of punts forward and West  Ham became confident that they could rely on the ball over the top to turn defence into attack swiftly. The young striker battered shots on goal; two left-foot efforts screamed wide, and one with his right was pushed aside by Brad Friedel at his near post.

The vital breakthrough still seemed elusive however. Even after Beye was sent off with four minutes left after a foul on Jonathan Spector earned him his second yellow card, the game was trundling to a stalemate. With the minutes ticking down though, Scott Parker, outstanding in midfield, burst forward and his stabbed pass found Hines just outside the six-yard box. His first touch seemed to get the ball stuck under his feet, and with three defenders around him, the chance was difficult. Yet quick as you like, Hines suddenly shifted the ball on to his right foot, before dinking a shot past the grope of the surprised Friedel.

Steve Clarke, Gianfranco Zola’s assistant, had spoken before the game of the need to protect the young defender James Tomkins during West Ham’s sticky spell. Tomkins, Clarke explained, had done little wrong but had begun to be affected by the poor results. Youngsters often droop during hard times and Tomkins was replaced by Da Costa last night. Even so, West Ham’s commitment to their academy remained evident, the ever graceful Jack Collison exuding class in midfield, before Hines proved what the exuberance of youth can achieve.

His goal brought back memories of Freddie Sears’s impact against Blackburn in March 2008, when he sealed a 2-1 win for West Ham after coming off the bench. Sears has done little since and is now on loan at Crystal Palace. It is to be hoped Hines does not go the same way, yet despite the strike against Villa being his first league goal for the club, we have seen much of him previously. He has already terrorised, among others, Liverpool this season. For now, Hines means goals.

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