Hammers defenders back to square one

Glenn Roeder last night admitted it was “back to the drawing board” for his defence after their 4-2 capitulation against Charlton at The Valley tonight.

Rock-bottom West Ham could not avoid their 13th defeat in 24 league games despite Charlton helping out with two own-goals.

And embattled boss Roeder, who emerged from the away dressing room more than an hour after the final whistle, said: “If you come away from home and score two goals, it should be one point or three.

“Poor decision-making is costing us. As a defender, you have to play safe. Our defenders should make more good decisions than wrong ones.

“We’re making too many poor decisions and they are costing us. People have responsibilities defensively and they are not carrying them out.

“It’s back to the drawing board again for the defenders. They will come in tomorrow and I just hope they start to learn and pick up the required skills they need.

“Thankfully Bolton have lost as well tonight. It’s down to four clubs at the bottom and one of them will get out of it and survive.”

Roeder refused to criticise Lee Bowyer after his inflammatory performance against his old club tonight.

Bowyer was involved in several bust-ups with Charlton’s two-goal hero Scott Parker.

The former Leeds midfielder first shoved his opponent over an advertisement board and into the crowd, enraging the home support by promptly turning to display the name on the back of his shirt.

And Bowyer later went nose-to-nose with Parker after a midfield challenge and both players were booked by referee Eddie Wolstenholme.

Roeder said: “Sometimes, referees can be a bit more lenient.

“It’s always difficult for any player coming back to his old stamping ground.

“Lee was very energetic and did as well as I probably expected him to. I think he will be a big asset for us over the coming months.”

Charlton manager Curbishley backed up Roeder’s opinion on Bowyer and said Parker’s man-of-the-match performance would have impressed watching England assistant boss Tord Grip.

“Bowyer came back here and was desperate for West Ham to do well,” he said.

“The crowd and the players were up from the first minute – and perhaps he galvanised that.

“It was a fiery encounter and the ref felt Parker and Bowyer had got involved in three or four scraps, so he put an end to it.

“Scott only retaliated when he was grabbed and I was so disappointed when he got booked as he didn’t deserve to.

“That was his only black mark as he was absolutely magnificent. He had everything – tackling, getting into the box and two good finishes.

“I know Tord Grip was here tonight so Scott may have done himself some good.”

Curbishley also revealed he and Roeder went to the referee’s room at the interval to urge Wolstenholme not to dish out any red cards.

The Addicks boss added: “It was wet and a local derby, so Glenn and I went to see Eddie and said ‘For God’s sake, don’t let one team end up with 10 men’.

“The tempo slowed in the second half and the game slowed down a bit. It was a fantastic game and a great local derby.

“We were thoroughly-deserved winners and could have scored a few more.

“I think we actually got all six goals tonight as their first one was an own-goal and their second hit (Mark) Fish and went in.”

The visitors took the lead through Richard Rufus’ freak own-goal in the 19th minute.

He tackled Edouard Cisse as he shot but only succeeded in looping the ball over Dean Kiely.

Claus Jensen scored a breathtaking equaliser from a 25-yard free-kick which whistled into the top right corner.

Parker bagged his first with a polished 12-yard finish on the stroke of half-time and completed his brace seven minutes after the break with a drilled strike from Gary Breen’s half-clearance.

In the 61st minute, Michael Carrick’s shot took a wicked deflection off Mark Fish and span into his own net.

But Charlton scored their fourth in the last minute when Radostin Kishishev netted his first goal for the club from close range.