di Canio fails to inspire Hammers - report

West Ham 0 West Brom 1

Jason Roberts stole Paolo di Canio’s thunder at Upton Park as West Brom notched back-to-back Premiership wins.

The scene was set for Italian forward Di Canio to lift West Ham off the bottom of the table, returning from injury to play his first match of the season.

It was Roberts, however, who made the telling impact as he rolled in a first-half winner just 24 hours after agreeing a new four-year deal with the Premier League newcomers.

A £2.1million buy from Bristol Rovers two years ago, Roberts missed most of last season’s promotion through injury.

But he showed his worth throughout, holding the ball up effectively as well as scoring his second goal of the campaign.

This summer, whatever positive thoughts manager Gary Megson might have felt about the club’s first top-flight season for a decade and half, he would have been excused for expecting to be in 20th place at this stage.

Instead the manager with that ignominious fate is Glenn Roeder, his former Newcastle team-mate.

Roeder had gambled on captain Di Canio inspiring a first win, after knee and foot injuries, and preferred him up front to Jermain Defoe.

Despite his occasional glimpses of class, however, the former AC Milan and Juventus player could not lift the Hammers, whose seventh-place finish last season was founded on an excellent home record which included just three defeats throughout and eight wins out of nine at the end of the campaign.

This time they have lost two on the trot after Arsenal came from two goals down to draw their first game.

Visitors West Brom, who picked up their first Premiership win against Fulham last time out, were led superbly by Sean Gregan with regular captain Derek McInnes suspended.

The midlanders showed plenty of urgency in the opening exchanges and Roberts’ strike partner Lee Hughes got in the first shot of the night as early as the third minute – but his effort lacked power and David James gathered comfortably.

West Brom’s tactic of shovelling balls down the channels allowed a regular outlet for Hughes, who was up against former Coventry team-mate Gary Breen, making his full debut for the Hammers.

It was more intricate approach work, though, that could have led to an opener for the home side 10 minutes in.

Di Canio’s fleet of foot on the left-hand touchline preceded a flick to Trevor Sinclair on the edge of the area only for the unmarked Joe Cole to miskick his chip to the far post.

Within seconds, however, Roberts created a better chance at the other end but his cross was missed by the onrushing Andy Johnson, six yards out, with the goal exposed.

West Ham sprang to life midway through the half and after Cole ushered Sebastian Schemmel down the right, Di Canio lifted his cross just too high at the near post.

Di Canio turned creator moments later when he guided a ball into the area and Freddie Kanoute lifted it from the by-line to Cole, in front of goal 10 yards out, who volleyed powerfully and Russell Hoult made a spectacular save to his right.

From the resulting corner England midfielder Cole was foiled again as he found space on the edge of the area but Hoult held his curling effort low to his left.

Albion then shocked Roeder’s team by taking a 28th-minute lead.

James’ punt downfield was won in an aerial challenge by Darren Moore, Johnson fed Ronnie Wallwork and his through ball sent Roberts racing clear of Breen.

As James advanced from his line to close the striker down, Roberts made the first repayment on his new four-year deal by rolling calmly to the goalkeeper’s right.

Megson’s West Brom gained their promotion on the back of 24 clean sheets in 46 league games.

Nine goals conceded in their first three games in the top-flight has not discouraged them – their three conquerors were United, Leeds and Arsenal – and this was their second successive shut-out.

Within a minute, Schemmel delivered a deep cross from the right which caused mayhem in the six-yard box, Kanoute stabbed the ball goalwards but Hoult saved with his shins.

Then, when Sinclair’s centre from the left allowed Michael Carrick a chance from close range, the midfielder swung at fresh air.

The home crowd were becoming increasingly frustrated and they might have been more so had Darren Moore’s thumping header from Neil Clement’s right-wing corner been an inch or two lower.

Even when Hoult was caught out just short of the hour, fortune favoured him as he dispossessed

Kanoute on the edge of the box but only succeeded in teeing up Edouard Cisse.

Cisse’s sidefoot, however, was guided wide of the goal by Gregan’s block.

For all West Ham’s pressing the visitors might have doubled their lead through Roberts, whose powerful run ended with James blocking, or substitute Scott Dobie, who followed up but failed to gain sufficient pace on his shot.