West Ham 1 Aston Villa 0: Nolan gives Allardyce that ring of confidence

Sam Allardyce was all smiles as West Ham extended east London’s Olympic feelgood factor with a deserved victory on their return to the Premier League.
Kevin Nolan’s winner after 40 minutes was the difference between sides who know that early points this season will reduce the risk of getting stuck in a relegation battle.
‘I was a bit nervous because you never quite know how it’s going to go after pre-season,’ said Hammers boss Allardyce.

Off and running: Kevin Nolan celebrates after scoring the only goal of the game for West Ham

MATCH FACTS

West Ham: Jaaskelainen, Demel, Reid, Collins, McCartney (O’Brien 71), Noble, Diame, Nolan (Tomkins 73), Vaz Te, Cole (Maiga 81), Taylor. Subs not used: Henderson, Maynard, Diarra, O’Neil.
Scorer: Nolan 40
Aston Villa: Given, Lowton, Vlaar, Clark, Baker, Holman (Weimann 61), El Ahmadi, Delph (Bannan 77), N’Zogbia (Gardner 74), Ireland, Bent. Subs not used: Guzan, Lichaj, Herd, Burke.
Booked: Clark.
Referee: Mike Dean.
Attendance: 34,172.

 

‘A good start is so important to a team such as us because it helps secure your position as early as possible. It takes the pressure off the players and the fans and it makes everyone enjoy their football.
‘It has been a very, very good day for us today because we won our first game of the season and we kept a clean sheet as well. To keep a striker as dangerous as Darren Bent down to three touches speaks volumes for our defensive performance.’
Nolan’s goal came after Ciaran Clark received the only yellow card in the game for blocking Ricardo Vaz Te. Mark Noble lofted the free- kick into the box and although it was Clark whose head the ball skimmed off to Vaz Te, the linesman believed it had reached the West Ham winger via James Collins’s head, making the Portuguese player offside.
While some of the Villa defence stopped, Vaz Te sent a low cross into the area and Nolan swivelled to slot the ball past Shay Given into the far corner. At this point referee Mike Dean ran across to the touchline to tell his colleague that it was Clark, not Collins, who provided Vaz Te and allowed the goal to stand.

Winner: Nolan got on the end of Ricardo Vaz Te's cross to put West Ham in front

‘It was a very good decision by the referee because it clearly came off a Villa head but refs don’t always question their linesmen,’ Allardyce added.
Villa’s new manager, Paul Lambert, concurred. ‘I wasn’t sure at the time of the goal but after studying a tape the ref was correct,’ said the former Norwich manager.

Controversy: Aston Villa felt there was an offside in the build-up to West Ham's goal

‘I’ve got no complaints about the result, nor about my players’ efforts. We had plenty of the ball but we couldn’t turn this into chances and that’s what we need to work on.’
The man who took Norwich up visibly winced when he heard about his old side’s thrashing at Fulham under new boss Chris Hughton.

Olympic stars: Members of Team GB were at Upton Park including boxing gold medalist Nicola Adams (below)

In sweltering heat, not a single save was made in the first half, and Given’s only action was to pick the ball out of the back of his net.
After the break West Ham’s new keeper, Jussi Jaaskelainen, saved from Stephen Ireland’s volley but it was West Ham who should have scored more. Carlton Cole seemed to be pushed over in the area by Ron Vlaar but failed to win a penalty.

Sandwiched: Aston Villla's Karim El Ahmadi is tackled by Mark Noble and Mohamed Diame

Then Nolan saw his goal-bound shot blocked before Modibo Maiga, on for Cole, rounded Given but saw his injury-time shot cleared off the line by Nathan Baker.
As Allardyce said, West Ham are back in the big time and, by the looks of it, they intend to enjoy it.

Duel: Winston Reid of West Ham United and Darren Bent of Aston Villa battle for the ball