Premier League: Allardyce revels in comeback as Hammers soar
WEST BROMWICH ALBION 1 WEST HAM UNITED 2
WEST Ham manager Sam Allardyce hailed his team’s fightback after they kept up their pursuit of the Champions League places with a dogged victory at West Brom.
Defender Craig Dawson looked to have set up only the Baggies’ second home win of the season when he ended their 323-minute wait for a Premier League goal.
But Hammers midfielder Kevin Nolan equalised and defender James Tomkins completed the comeback just before half-time.
West Ham’s sixth league win in 10 games kept them fifth and just a point behind Manchester United, while West Brom slipped a place to 16th – three points off the bottom.
“It was a tremendous recovery after we went 1-0 down. It was a great, great away win for us,” said Allardyce. “If we can have a good Christmas, then we’ll have a look at what we can achieve over the second half of the season.”
Dawson glanced in a Graham Dorrans free-kick on 10 minutes but Nolan headed the visitors level shortly after the half hour when goalkeeper Ben Foster only parried Andy Carroll’s overhead kick.
Tomkins nodded the winner just before half-time from a Stewart Downing corner.
The Hammers have now won consecutive games following victory over Newcastle on Saturday, which retores momentum after a home stalemate with Aston Villa and a 2-1 defeat against Everton at Goodison Park.