HAPPY HAMMERS GO TO TOWN IN SUFFOLK
Di Canio: Set the standard
Ipswich 2-3 West Ham
Hreidarsson 63
Holland 90 Di Canio 21
Kanoute 72
Defoe 90
FA Barclaycard Premiership
Goals from Paolo Di Canio, Freddie Kanoute and Jermain Defoe gave West Ham their first away win for eight months against Ipswich Town.
Once the Italian had given the visitors the half-time advantage, George Burley's men were given a brief glimmer of hope through Hermann Hreidarsson's equaliser, but it was the Icelander who inadvertently deflected Kanoute's strike past his own keeper.
Substitute Defoe sealed the victory in the final minute, before Matt Holland capped the afternoon's entertainment with a cracking, if ultimately futile, second for Ipswich in injury-time.
West Ham arrived at Portman Road having shipped 12 goals in their previous two Premiership away games, while their hosts, without a league win since August, gave a debut to Thomas Gaardsoe in the centre of their defence in the absence of John McGreal.
But there was little the Denmark Under-21 international or his colleagues could do as The Hammers went in front midway through the pening period with a goal that oozed quality.
The ball was worked in from the right flank via Michael Carrick, through Freddie Kanoute and and Don Hutchison. The latter's pass sprang di Canio into the box and the Italian finished sweetly across Sereni into the far corner.
Shaka Hislop seemed to draw inspiration from the return of David James to the bench as he produced two fine one-handed stops - one from Martijn Reuser's 25 yard free-kick and the other, equally impressive, as he recovered from slippage to scoop away Chris Makin's downward header.
Otherwise, as far as Glenn Roeder was concerned, the defence which had shipped 12 goals in their last two away games looked reassuringly solid, and the threat on the break was always there with both Hutchison and Kanoute sending free headers wide.
Ipswich threw on Sixto Peralta in the second period, but despite plenty of possession, the ball would not run for them in the final third - until just past the hour mark.
Mark Venus' free-kick from the left was palmed out by Hislop - and bounced off the thigh of Hreidarsson into the back of the net.
The Hammers countered and Michael Carrick rattled the goalframe from 25 yards before Sereni saved well from Kanoute, who had been played in by Nigel Winterburn. But the Frenchman was not to be denied.
With 20 minutes remaining, Hutchison's driving run from the center circle set up Kanoute eight yards out for the Hammers' second, and Defoe coolly tucked home the third as he raced clear through the middle.
Holland's late 30-yard strike was as sweet as you like, if ultimately pointless.
Three wins on the spin for West Ham; Pressure on Glenn Roeder? What pressure. No doubt he will happily advise Burley as he contemplates a record of just one win in eleven.
Ipswich: Sereni, Makin, Gaardsoe, Hreidarsson, Venus, Clapham (Peralta 46), Holland, Reuser, Wright (Magilton 87), Stewart, Armstrong (Counago 55).
Subs Not Used: Branagan, Wilnis.
Booked: Gaardsoe, Stewart.
West Ham: Hislop, Minto, Foxe, Dailly, Winterburn, Sinclair, Carrick, Hutchison, Schemmel, Di Canio (Defoe 88), Kanoute.
Subs Not Used: James, Kitson, Moncur, Potts.
Booked: Winterburn, Carrick.
Att: 22,834
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