Paolo Di Canio - who else - was the West Ham hero as he came in from the cold
to score the goal which ensures the Hammers' fight for survival goes down to the
final game of the season.
Just a fortnight ago Di Canio's love affair with the Hammers seemed over, as
he had been frozen out by manager Glenn Roeder and did not look like getting
another game before his contract ran out in the summer and he left the club.
But with Roeder in hospital following the minor stroke he suffered at Upton
Park on Easter Monday, caretaker-manager Trevor Brooking recalled the
controversial Italian to the bench, and he came on in the second half to sweep
home the 70th-minute winner against arch rivals Chelsea.
It was a script writer's dream, and one more piece in the fairytale jigsaw
which might yet see West Ham become the first club in the history of the
Premiership to be bottom of the table at Christmas and pull off a miracle
escape.
Di Canio scored two stunning goals to help West Ham beat Chelsea at Stamford
Bridge earlier in the season, but a combination of injury and problems with the
manager have seen him limited to just 17 league appearances.
He had appealed for a chance to show the fans how much the club meant to him
and Brooking gave him that chance by starting him on the bench and then sending
him on in place of Les Ferdinand after 56 minutes.
Di Canio's eighth goal of the season, finishing off a deflected Trevor
Sinclair cross from four yards, gave West Ham a deserved victory and meant they
completed the double over the Blues for the first time in the Premiership.
But the longer-term effects could be hugely significant if Brooking's warriors
can win at Birmingham next weekend and one of their rivals slips up to help them
complete the great escape.
The smile on Brooking's face at the end said it all, as his Midas touch worked
for the second successive week.
Brooking had been bold with his tactics from the start, playing Les Ferdinand,
Freddie Kanoute and Jermain Defoe in the same forward line, but the gamble
worked in the end and there is still hope for the Hammers.
Brooking had predicted a cup final atmosphere and it certainly was charged at
Upton Park.
The home fans almost had something to cheer about as Kanoute might have given
West Ham the lead after just 67 seconds.
Sinclair took down a Steve Lomas throw-in on the left and delivered a low
cross towards the penalty spot.
Kanoute met it but missed his kick, and Defoe followed up with a half-volley
which was saved by Carlo Cudicini.
Glen Johnson forced a right wing corner after six minutes and although it was
initially cleared, it needed a flying save from Cudicini to tip Kanoute's header
over the bar when the ball came back into the danger zone.
West Ham put together another good move down their left which produced a
chance for Ferdinand in the 13th minute.
Rufus Brevett fed Sinclair, his cross was nodded down by Kanoute and Ferdinand
hit a fierce rising drive which flew just over the bar.
It was no surprise that Frank Lampard was booed every time he touched the
ball.
He made 187 appearances for the Hammers, scoring 38 goals before his
£11million switch two seasons ago, and he gave his old club a huge scare after
27 minutes when he almost scored.
Graeme Le Saux curled in a corner from the right and Lampard won a downward
header which was cleared off the line by Brevett.
West Ham were fortunate to win a corner three minutes before the break when
the assistant referee ruled that Marcel Desailly's back pass crossed the line.
It should have proved decisive as Steve Lomas had a free header from Brevett's
right wing cross, but he somehow glanced the ball wide of the far post.
West Ham needed a spark - or better still a goal, and the fans thought they
had got one after 55 minutes. Sinclair did well on the left before delivering a
far post cross, and Kanoute met it with a header which was inches wide.
The spark arrived as Di Canio got stripped and ready for action. He exchanged
a hug with Brooking and was introduced in place of Ferdinand after 56 minutes.
Sinclair was again the provider after 62 minutes with a deep cross from the
left. Lomas rose well to meet it with his head and Cudicini stretched to tip it
over the bar.
The turning point came on 70 minutes when Cole fed Sinclair on the right and
his low cross was deflected right into Di Canio's path.
The controversial Italian made no mistake as he swept home the ball from four
yards to spark scenes of wild celebration for the goal which might just keep
West Ham in the Premiership.
Hearts were in mouths when the board went up to show four minutes of injury
time, and there was tension until the final seconds when James had to dive to
his left in the final seconds to keep out Lampard's fierce drive.
Even Cudicini came up for the corner, but the Hammers held on and must now
hope to win at Birmingham and see either Bolton or Leeds slip up in their final
two games to have any hope of survival.
This was all about West Ham, but Chelsea have the consolation of knowing that
if they beat Liverpool at Stamford Bridge next weekend they will clinch a place
in the Champions League.
Teams:
West Ham: James, Johnson, Repka, Dailly, Brevett, Lomas, Cole,
Sinclair, Kanoute, Les Ferdinand (Di Canio 56), Defoe.
Subs Not Used: Van Der Gouw, Hutchison, Garcia, Cisse.
Booked: Sinclair, Defoe, Repka.
Goals: Di Canio 71.
Chelsea: Cudicini, Melchiot, Gallas, Desailly, Babayaro,
Morris (Zenden 77), Petit, Lampard, Le Saux,
Gudjohnsen (Hasselbaink 72), Zola (Cole 72).
Subs Not Used: de Goey, Stanic.
Booked: Morris.
Att: 35,042
Ref: A D'Urso (Essex).
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