Barclays Premier League
West Ham United 1-0 Tottenham Hotspur
West Ham United produced another sparkling display under the Boleyn Ground lights to topple Tottenham Hotspur and move within a point of the Barclays Premier League top four.
Man-of-the-moment Michail Antonio popped up with yet another priceless goal at the Boleyn Ground after just seven minutes, a bullet of a header which secured Slaven Bilic’s side a second home win in five days.
West Ham, now unbeaten at home in 14 in all competitions, had chances to make it two in a thoroughly dominant opening 45 minutes, before Tottenham inevitably found their feet after the break.
But once Harry Kane had fluffed his lines with the goal gaping, the Hammers held firm to ensure that all those of a Claret and Blue persuasion would go home happy.
With Sam Byram suspended after collecting his tenth league booking of the campaign against Sunderland, Pedro Obiang earned a recall into a midfield five. Cheikhou Kouyate, meanwhile, slotted into a back three alongside James Collins and Angelo Ogbonna.
Antonio is something of an unstoppable force at the Boleyn Ground at present and needed just seven minutes here to make it four in four in front of the Upton Park faithful.
The No30 stole a march on his marker Nacer Chadli to meet a right-wing Dimitri Payet and power a header home at the near post. Hugo Lloris got hands to it but couldn’t keep it out. Following Saturday’s Homer Simpson-themed celebration, the former Nottingham Forest man went with a more conventional dance number this time.
Having smashed the underside of the bar at the weekend, skipper Mark Noble fancied a goal too, and very nearly got one after quarter of an hour. The 28-year-old let fly from distance and it took a brilliant Lloris stop, diving high to his left, to deny the Canning Town-born midfielder.
And there would be further first-half scares for the visitors. Lloris’ touch from an innocuous-looking backpass was heavy and Emmanuel Emenike got rather too close for the Frenchman’s comfort.
Then Payet, much as he did at Norwich City, rolled a ball into the path of Noble 20 yards out, whose shot, which looked to be veering wide, struck Toby Alderweireld. The rebound fell kindly for Antonio but he too was denied by a Spurs boot, that of Kevin Wimmer on this occasion.
Still West Ham carved out chances and good ones too. The ball dropped to Antonio, who else, in the penalty area and his well-struck effort was blocked by a Tottenham knee.
And the Hammers had the ball in the net for a second time before the half was out, but not before the linesman’s flag had been raised. From Kouyate’s flick, Emenike was a good yard or two offside and so Antonio’s follow up counted for nought.
So one sided was it that Spurs ended the half without a solitary shot or corner to their name.
Tottenham showed rather more life in the opening exchanges of the second half and threatened the West Ham goal for the first time. Ben Davies screwed well wide of the upright, before Erik Lamela’s stooping header missed by a distance too. Ryan Mason picked up the baton but Adrian was happy to watch his long-range drive past the post.
At the other end, Aaron Cresswell was the unlikely target of a Noble cross from the right and his header into the turf bounced over the top.
But for all West Ham’s early supremacy, Spurs should have drawn level on the hour. Adrian could only parry Alderweireld’s long-range blast and Kane made a meal of the rebound, allowing Kouyate to nip in and save the day.
James Collins, meanwhile, was forced from the field with an injury and replaced by young Reece Oxford, before Emenike made way for the big man Andy Carroll.
Though Spurs threw bodies forward, West Ham stood tall and strong to celebrate victory in the sides’ last ever meeting at the famous Boleyn Ground.
West Ham United: Adrian, Antonio, Collins (Oxford 66), Ogbonna, Cresswell, Obiang, Noble (c), Kouyate, Lanzini (Sakho 84), Payet, Emenike (Carroll 73)
Subs: Randolph (GK), Song, Henry, Dobson
Goal: Antonio 7
Tottenham Hotspur: Lloris (c), Trippier, Alderweireld, Wimmer (Carroll 77), Davies, Dier, Mason, Lamela (Son 69), Chadli (Alli 61), Eriksen, Kane
Subs: Vorm (GK), Walker, Rose, Onomah, Carroll
Booked: Alderweireld, Wimmer, Davies
Referee: Andre Marriner