The future is bright and appears to be very much claret and blue for England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson as Frank Lampard, Joe Cole and Michael Carrick helped West Ham to their first Premiership win of 2001.

It was easy to see why Eriksson selected the trio for England's friendly against Spain at Villa Park on Wednesday, with two-goal Lampard the man-of-the-match, although Cole ran him a close second.

Although Eoin Jess scored Bradford's first goal since New Year's Day, ending a dire drought of 663 minutes, it was not enough to prevent City suffering their fifth successive defeat at Valley Parade.

Bantams boss Jim Jefferies had opted for man-markers on Lampard and Cole, but the ploy was as useful as a wet rag in a thunderstorm as Gary Locke and Andy O'Brien were left trailing in their wake.

The delightful team-work and build-up play between the highly-talented trio was often a joy to behold, leading to the kind of attacking panache which has long been missing at international level.

The 18th-minute opener was creatively crafted, with Paolo di Canio the instigator with a forward through ball to Cole, the mercurial midfielder then drawing in two defenders.

A backheel for Lampard allowed the former England Under-21 skipper to sweep home a right-foot shot beyond the despairing dive of goalkeeper Gary Walsh, who had minutes earlier saved his side with a stunning one-handed stop.

Cole was again the hub, collecting a low left-wing cross from Titi Camara before laying the ball off for the awaiting Carrick whose rasping drive was brilliantly turned over the bar by Walsh.

Camara was starting in the absence of Frederic Kanoute, with Redknapp choosing not to risk the Frenchman as a booking today would have led to a suspension for the FA Cup quarter-final with Spurs in a fortnight's time.

Guinea international Camara twice had the opportunity to add to the Hammers' superiority in the opening half, but the first of his left-footed shots was driven into the side-netting, with the second over the bar.

It was a West Ham purple patch which left Bradford in tatters, the City supporters drumming up a chorus of boos and jeers and Cole forcing Walsh into his second superb save of the half as a drive cannoned against the legs of the veteran.

In contrast, Stephen Bywater could hardly claim to have been extended during his first game of the season in the absence of Shaka Hislop, on international duty with Trinidad and Tobago.

It was a call-up which had left Redknapp fuming for although he could not argue against Trinidad invoking the five-day rule, coach Ian Porterfield had given Dwight Yorke permission to play for Manchester United tomorrow.

'One rule for one, one rule for another,' stormed Redknapp this morning, but at least for the most part Bywater, another promising youngster on the books at Upton Park, did not let his manager down.

Despite five changes made by Bradford boss Jim Jefferies, with the most significant being the recall of Benito Carbone to the line-up for the first time since Boxing Day, City looked as if their minds were still on their spell in the Portuguese sunshine.

A training camp in the Algarve had been designed to rejuvenate the City squad, but they languished and toiled, with only an injury-time header from David Wetherall - with skipper Stuart McCall benched - forcing Bywater into any action.

The paint must have peeled on Bradford's dressing room wall during the break at the end of which the City players emerged to a chorus from their supporters of 'All we are saying is a give us a goal.'

Their prayers were duly answered 17 minutes into the second half as Bradford turned the screw, and when Eoin Jess headed home Ashley Ward's centre, Valley Parade erupted more out of relief than delight.

But despite avoiding equalling what would have been a club record seven successive games without a goal, Jefferies' side still slumped to their ninth defeat from their 11 last matches in all competitions.

It was Cole who initially weaved his magic, twisting and turning his way to the edge of the area where he was thwarted by O'Brien, albeit for the ball to run kindly to Lampard to deliver a stunning 18-yard drive.

Wetherall had another injury-time chance but spooned a left-foot shot over the bar to leave the Bantams one step closer to a return to the Nationwide League.

Teams:

Bradford: Walsh, Myers, Wetherall, Lawrence, Ward, Carbone, Molenaar (Hopkin 64), O'Brien, Locke (McCall 81), Jacobs (Blake 81), Jess.

Subs Not Used: Davison, McKinlay.

Booked: Locke.

Goals: Jess 62.

West Ham: Bywater, Stuart Pearce, Stimac, Winterburn, Schemmel (Ian Pearce 83), Dailly, Carrick, Cole, Lampard, Di Canio, Camara (Suker 71).

Subs Not Used: Forrest, Soma, Todorov.

Booked: Dailly, Di Canio.

Goals: Lampard 18, 75.

Att: 20,469

Ref: S Lodge (Barnsley).