Tottenham rally to win 2-1 at West Ham

Aug 23, 2009 - 3:21 PM By JAMES PIERCY STATS European Football Writer=

LONDON (SE) - Carlton Cole went from hero to villain in the space of five hectic second-half minutes as Tottenham won their third successive match to stay top of the Premier League with a 2-1 win at West Ham.

West Ham striker Cole put his team ahead with a spectacular 25 yards shot on the turn in the 49th minute, one of the best goals scored so far in the Premier League season.

But five minutes later Cole attempted a back pass to his goalkeeper Robert Green from midfield and former Hammer Jermain Defoe gratefully intercepted before scoring his sixth goal in four matches for club and country.

Spurs got the winner in the 79th minute when Aaron Lennon cut in from the right wing and scored with a left foot shot which Green got his hands to but could not keep out.

Tottenham had little difficulty in holding on to their lead to create a club record, never having won three in succession at the start of a season before.

Spurs manager Harry Redknapp, a former player and manager at Upton Park, was again impressed by his team's stunning football and by the result.

Redknapp said: "I thought we were magnificent at times, particularly in the first half when we were the better side.

"West Ham came back into it after the break and it was a lot more even. But three good wins in a week is absolutely magnificent.

"I feared the worse when Cole put West Ham ahead but we got back into it with a mistake. Jermain does not need much help at the moment.

"Lennon's winner was a great effort. People think he's just a provider but we have been on at him to cut inside if he sees a gap and he took it well."

West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola derived little pleasure from the result, throwing down his drink in anger when Lennon was allowed to drift in from the wing past Jonathan Spector to score.

One bright spot for the Hammers, who won at Wolves on the opening day, was the form on his home debut of Chilean winger Luis Jimenez.

Jimenez might have won a penalty in the 60th minute when it appeared he had been brought down inside the area but appeals were waved away.

Zola said: "I am disappointed because we got a great goal and then gave away two soft ones. You cannot do that at this level.

"Carlton Cole put us ahead and we should have gone and built on this, but we did not.

"Instead we gave away a poor, poor equaliser. I don't know what Carlton thought he was doing with his back pass, but it goes straight to Defoe and that is asking for trouble.

"The winning goal should have been avoided. Lennon came in from the wing and we did not get in a challenge, which is disappointing.

"Overall we played some good football but we cannot make mistakes like those. They have cost us three points."