 Reo-Coker (left) celebrates his winning goal with Kyle Reid |
West Ham warmed up for the FA Cup final in their penultimate Premiership game of the season with a win at West Brom. Relegated West Brom should have taken something from the game but were undone by some indecisive forward play.
Strikers Nathan Ellington and Kanu missed a catalogue of chances, though the Nigerian had a couple of reasonable second-half penalty claims turned down.
Just before the interval Nigel Reo-Coker punished West Brom's woeful finishing with a thumping shot.
The win for West Ham moved them up to ninth in the Premiership, though the FA Cup finalists suffered a blow when striker Dean Ashton limped off in the first-half.
That West Ham were allowed to come away with the win had much to do with West Brom's lack of confidence in front of goal.
Bryan Robson's have the third worst goalscoring record in the Premiership and their inability to put the ball in the net was evident throughout.
In the opening 10 minutes Kanu blasted the ball over the bar after Christian Dailly had casually given the ball away, while Ellington flashed a header wide.
West Ham also had striking problems, though their problems were more injury related.
Just before kick off West Ham had lost Matthew Etherington, who was injured during the warm-up.
West Ham then had to contend with a second injury when Ashton went off with a hamstring injury to be replaced by Teddy Sheringham.
While West Ham adjusted to those changes, West Brom continued to miss chances.
Kanu's trickery gave him the time to pass to Ellington, only for the former Wigan striker to drag his shot wide.
It was left to a midfielder to show both sides' forwards how to put the ball in the net.
Bobby Zamora's run had taken him into the box but he tried to beat one man to many and Reo-Coker came to his rescue, crashing the ball past Tomasz Kuszczak.
Early in the second-half Ellington missed a third chance, shooting straight at Shaka Hislop from a good position.
Despite that hat-trick of misses Ellington, to his credit, continued to show plenty of willing - fizzing a shot narrowly over the bar and then trying his luck with a diving header.
Ellington's striking partner Kanu had a similarly frustrating second-half, heading wide and then having two penalty appeals turned down.
Ronnie Wallwork finally did get the ball in the net for West Brom but his effort was ruled out for offside.
Substitute Marlon Harewood also went close for West Ham on a couple of occasions in the closing stages.
West Brom manager Bryan Robson:
"Over the last 10 games we've had about eight penalties not given and it has cost us big style.
"Those two in this game you can't get any more blatant.
"The way the players kept at it and the fans kept behind them was a credit to everyone associated with West Brom."
West Ham manager Alan Pardew:
"Dean's a real honest boy and I think he'll be sweating right up to the game.
"It's not a pull, he just felt it, and we have to protect ourselves.
"I had wanted to play the cup final team against Tottenham on Sunday but I'm losing bodies left right and centre at the moment."
West Brom: Kuszczak, Albrechtsen, Watson, Curtis Davies, Robinson, Greening, Wallwork, Quashie, Gera, Ellington, Kanu.
Subs Not Used: Hoult, Martinez, Carter, Nicholson, Inamoto.
West Ham: Hislop, Dailly (Konchesky 73), Gabbidon, Fletcher, Scaloni, Newton, Reo-Coker, Ward, Reid, Ashton (Sheringham 23), Zamora (Harewood 71).
Subs Not Used: Walker, Katan.
Goals: Reo-Coker 42.
Att: 24,462
Ref: G Poll (Hertfordshire).
MMIX
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Let's hope Ashton's injury isn't serious and he's back for the final 
