Injury Hit Blues crash at Upton Park

Hammers: Hislop, Scaloni, Ferdinand, Gabbidon, Konchesky, Benayoun, Mullins (Dailly 46), Reo-Coker, Etherington (Katan 77), Ashton (Zamora 77), Harewood.
Subs Not Used: Bywater, Sheringham.

Goals: Harewood 11, 63, Ashton 65.

Blues: Maik Taylor, Melchiot, Cunningham, Latka (Clapham 71), Gray, Pennant, Bruce, Clemence, Jarosik (Painter 71), Sutton, Forssell (Campbell 67).
Subs Not Used: Vaesen, Birley.

Booked: Bruce, Latka

Att: 31,294

Ref: D Gallagher (Banbury)

Blues slumped to a 3-0 defeat at Upton Park where a West Ham side brimming with confidence were presented with three points without ever needing to extend thjemselves.
Blues had a fare share of the play but never really looked like opening up the home defence.

Blues were a goal down in ten minutes when Cunningham, forced back into the side early because of the injuries to Upson and about 10 others, presented the ball to Harewood who netted with ease. Blues played some nice midfield stuuf but the penalty area seemed to be off limmits to Blues forwards. Forssell tried to battle and creat an opening but never had support. Just before half time Gabbidon pushed Sutton of the ball a yard inside the box. No penalty , naturally and Blues best chance was gone.

On the hour with the game crying out for some kind of injection of ideas Blues were buried. Firstly Latka, annoyed at Gabbidon's arm in the face preventing him from heading the ball away rashly handled the ball. He was expecting the call to be in his favour but Ref Gallagher added to his woes with a yellow card.

Harwood's penalty was saved by Taylor but Harwood knocked in the rebound. It was easy for the visitors to feel hard done by but any sympathy evaporated after 65 minutes when a simple cross was not cleared by Cunningham and Ashton netted a simmple header unopposed.

Blues, if they have to battle on with this injury list will go down. They will loose at lease 6 of the players that see their future other than in the championship.

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