Etherington downs Royals

Bellamy: Early strike

Related links

Teams

• Reading
• West Ham United

Players

• Matthew Etherington
• Craig Bellamy

Also see

• Reading reaction
• West Ham reaction

Matthew Etherington bagged a brace as West Ham secured an impressive 3-0 win at Reading.

Despite a lively start from the home side the visitors forged ahead with their first attack of the game.

Lee Bowyer set Craig Bellamy away and the Welsh flyer finished with aplomb past Marcus Hahnemann.

Etherington scored his first moments after half-time, leaving Steve Coppell's side with a mountain to climb.

Kevin Doyle missed a late penalty with Etherington's fine injury-time strike adding the icing on the cake.

It had taken the home fans just a few minutes to start the inevitable "6-0" chants but within seconds Bellamy had netted his third goal in claret and blue, adding to his midweek Carling Cup double at Bristol Rovers with aplomb.

Reading's undoing was of their own initial making however as James Harper was carelessly dispossessed in midfield by Lee Bowyer and Ivar Ingimarsson was never going to catch the Welshman.

Perfectly placed

There was work still to be done for the £7.5million summer signing from Liverpool but his low, angled drive from the right of the box was perfectly placed to elude the outstretched arm of goalkeeper Hahnemann.

Dean Ashton, who was making his first start since the 2006 FA Cup final, fired a shot at Hahnemann after having won a corner seconds earlier and the Hammers continued to look dangerous on the break.

Mark Noble crashed a drive just wide from the edge of the box and there was a let-off for Hahnemann when he fumbled a cross into Etherington's path only for the winger to stab it harmlessly wide.

Reading were relentless in their pursuit of an equaliser however and striker Leroy Lita was incensed when referee Howard Webb allowed play to continue after Anton Ferdinand had appeared to barge him over on the edge of the box.

Brynjar Gunnarsson saw a shot blocked and Michael Duberry headed just wide before Doyle set up Stephen Hunt in the 43rd minute for an effort that had the beating of Hammers goalkeeper Robert Green but bounced off the top of the crossbar.

Great chance

It took West Ham just four second-half minutes to double their lead through Etherington. The winger played a clever one-two with Bellamy after Hayden Mullins' ball across the Reading box had not been intercepted and he was able to beat Hahnemann with a rising drive from an angle on the left.

Bowyer missed a great chance to put his side three-up after Bellamy, seizing on an Ashton header, had put him through. The former Newcastle man rolled his shot past Hahnemann but also beyond the far post.

Reading passed up an opportunity to get back in the match when goalkeeper Green saved a penalty he had conceded himself. The England man upended Dave Kitson but stayed on the pitch to guess correctly and block Doyle's spot-kick with a dive to his left.

Hahnemann kept the score down with a save to deny Carlton Cole, who had earlier fired just wide on the turn.

Kalifa Cisse saw a stoppage-time effort blocked as Reading were destined to be denied even a consolation. There was still a goal in the game and Etherington claimed it with a solo run after Reading had been caught with too many men upfield in stoppage time.