A stunning second-half comeback saw Preston earn only their fourth away win of
the season and leapfrog their promotion rivals in the table.
Two goals in three minutes from Ricardo Fuller and David Healy cancelled out
David Connolly's first-half effort as North End deservedly took all three
points.
West Ham have won only five games at Upton Park this campaign and never looked
likely to salvage a point in an abject second-half performance.
The Hammers started the match well with Michael Carrick trying his luck from
distance in the opening minutes only for Jonathan Gould to save comfortably.
The home side then forced a succession of corners but were unable to force
Gould into further action and with Paul McKenna influential in midfield, Preston
started to impose themselves on the game.
Healy was eager to take on the Hammers defence and Wayne Quinn in particular
struggled to deal with the on-form striker's pace and directness.
Fellow striker Richard Cresswell had the Lilywhites' first effort on goal when
he drilled his right-footed shot just wide of the post and Fuller missed a great
chance when one on one with David James.
But against the run of play West Ham scored a fine goal which started with a
throw out by James.
Connolly finished off the sweeping move in the 19th minute when he slipped the
ball under Gould from Matthew Etherington's left-wing cross.
Preston continued to threaten up to the interval and Healy forced James to
save from 25 yards before the impressive Carrick fired over Gould's bar from the
edge of the box.
The Hammers began the second-half in positive fashion and Etherington pulled a
shot wide as they looked to double their advantage.
But the match turned after 64 minutes when Marlon Harewood failed to retreat
10 yards at a Preston free-kick, forcing referee Mark Warren to move the kick 10
yards forward.
And when Graham Alexander swung the ball into the box, Chris Lucketti headed
it back across the area and Fuller had the simple task of nodding the ball over
the line for his eighth goal in seven games.
And three minutes later the visitors were in front. Alexander delivered a
corner to the near post and Healy rushed onto the ball to squeeze a shot through
a crowd of players and past James to stun the home crowd.
Veteran striker Brian Deane came on for Don Hutchison as Hammers boss Alan
Pardew looked for a way back into the game but it was Preston who threatened to
score again as Cresswell twice smashed shots against the woodwork after
terrorising the home defence.
Teams
West Ham James, Dailly, Pearce, Quinn (Ferdinand 76),
Stockdale (Mellor 83), Hutchison (Deane 69), Carrick, Mullins,
Harewood, Etherington, Connolly.
Subs Not Used: Bywater, Horlock.
Booked: Hutchison, Harewood.
Goals: Connolly 19.
Preston Gould, Alexander, Lucketti, Davis (Etuhu 90), McKenna,
Keane (Koumantarakis 58), Healy, Cresswell, Fuller, Mears,
O'Neil.
Subs Not Used: Lonergan, Cartwright, Abbott.
Booked: Healy, Keane, Davis, Mears, Fuller.
Goals: Fuller 64, Healy 67.
Att: 28,777
Ref: M Warren (W Midlands).
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