Manager Glenn Hoddle secured the first Coca-Cola Championship victory of his
Molineux tenure as Wolves ran out 4-2 winners over visiting West Ham.
Kenny Miller opened the scoring for Wolves before Bobby Zamora bagged his
fifth goal of the season to make it 1-1 at half-time.
The hosts took the lead again as Miller registered his 12th strike of the
season and another equaliser came from Zamora before Wolves captain Paul Ince
scored against his former club and Carl Cort converted the easiest of chances to
earn the Black Country club's first victory in seven league matches since Hoddle
took charge last month.
West Ham had launched the first attack of the afternoon but Luke Chadwick
could only fire over from a central position 18 yards out and, at the other end,
Seyi Olofinjana soon followed suit.
Marlon Harewood was the next to fire a volley over goalkeeper Matt Murray's
crossbar after a Chris Powell free-kick had been nodded down by Malky Mackay.
And as play swung, Ki-Hyeon Seol tested James Walker at his near post before,
in the 20th minute, Sergei Rebrov broke clear for the Hammers and forced Murray
into a one-handed save.
But the deadlock was broken shortly before the half-hour after the Hammers
defence failed to deal with Jody Craddock's punt forward.
Cort took momentary possession before losing control and in the ensuing
penalty box confusion Miller pounced to stab home from close range.
Then, 10 minutes before half-time, Zamora netted from close range after
Rebrov's supply had eluded the Wolves defence.
Zamora could have quickly doubled his tally but for Murray's heroics three
minutes after the interval.
Instead, it was Miller who was first to register his second following an
expansive Wolves move which featured Mark Clyde, Olofinjana and Kennedy before
the ball was worked wide to the left.
From there the South Korean crossed for a lunging Miller to force the ball
home at the back post in the 54th minute.
The Hammers were back on level terms two minutes later as Zamora tapped into
an open net from point-blank range after Harewood unlocked Wolves on their left
wing and then crossed to his colleague standing unmarked at the far post.
The hosts survived another scare on the hour when Clyde deflected Anton
Ferdinand's shot for a corner before Murray denied Chadwick.
But West Ham paid the penalty for indecisive defending in the 70th minute when
Cort made a nuisance of himself in the Hammers penalty area and Miller saw a
shot blocked before Ince latched onto the rebound and slotted past Walker.
And the hosts' victory was confirmed when Cort arrived to convert Seol's
left-wing cross from inches out with little more than 15 minutes remaining.
A stunning 25-yard volley from Cort fizzed narrowly wide with only seconds
remaining.
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