Doyle delivers for resurgent Wolves

WOLVES took a giant step towards securing their Premier League survival last night as Kevin Doyle led a comprehensive victory at Upton Park which plunged West Ham deeper into relegation trouble.

Manager Mick McCarthy praised his team’s “terrific” display as man of the match Doyle opened the scoring before Ronald Zubar and Matthew Jarvis added strikes to help Wolves move seven points clear of Burnley and Hull, who occupy relegation places.

“We played well. I think the pressure was on them at home,” McCarthy said. “It’s a game they expected to win. We’ve not let them play, we’ve kept the ball and we managed to score three goals in what I thought was a terrific performance.”

West Ham are just three points clear of Burnley and Hull and were given a hard time by some home supporters as they slipped 3-0 behind.

Wolves have had a terrific run of away form, following up their win at Burnley by drawing at Aston Villa and now winning last night.

Striker Doyle was asked what the team needed to survive.

“Another couple of wins,” he said. “But from Burnley away to today has made a big difference and has really put a but of daylight between us and the rest.”

He slotted home the opening goal but claims it was Zubar’s strike which really stunned West Ham.

“The second one at the start of the second half really killed them off,” said Doyle. “It was nice to get three goals, we haven’t scored too many.”

On the evidence of last night, West Ham lack the hunger, the quality and the composure to stay in the top flight. Wolves were quite the opposite.

Guillermo Franco came off the bench to score in injury time for West Ham but it was the hollowest of consolation goals. By then, Upton Park was almost empty.

West Ham crumbled the moment Doyle, who led the line magnificently all evening, pounced on a defensive howler from James Tomkins to put Wolves ahead. Tomkins failed to deal with a simple pass 40 yards from his own goal, and Ireland striker Doyle bore down on goal before sliding his angled shot past Green and into the far corner.

West Ham tried to hit back but were hit by two second-half sucker punches as Zubar drove a cross-shot low past Green in the 58th minute before, three minutes later, Jarvis fired Wolves into a 3-0 lead, sparking elation in the away end and anger everywhere else.

WEST HAM: Green, Faubert, Tomkins (Spector 46), Upson, Daprela, Behrami, Parker, Kovac (Stanislas 46), Diamanti, Cole, McCarthy (Franco 71).

WOLVES: Hahnemann, Zubar (Halford 80), Craddock, Berra, Elokobi, Foley, Mancienne (Guedioura 86), Henry, David Jones, Jarvis (Ward 71), Doyle.

Referee: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire).