COMFORTABLE DERBY WIN

West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce is being linked with a cameo role in a movie next year, though it seems that he is much more effective at managing the club!

Sam Allardyce once again led West Ham United to an impressive 3-1 win over Derby County during the weekend, enabling West Ham to stay in touch with leaders Southampton, who have a two-point advantage having played 18 games so far this season. Maintaining the gap as well as increasing the overall goal difference was one of the main criteria for West Ham United going into the match against Derby County, who are bang in the middle of the table.

The Hammers allowed Derby County to take the lead through Thomas Priskin early in the match but it didn’t take long for West Ham United to get back on level terms. Carton Cole equalised minutes before the first half and it proved to be a crucial goal because it gave the impetus to West Ham in the second half.

With a quarter of an hour gone in the second half, Kevin Nolan struck a decisive blow, as his goal gave West Ham United the lead for the first time in the match. The match was then made safe with the Mark Noble penalty 10 minutes later. West Ham held on for all three points.

After the match, Jack Collison said “We know that we have a lot of big-game players — just look how Kevin has dug us out with a spectacular goal. he does that everyday in training, and it’s great that he produced one like that in the game.”

The only worry from the match for Sam Allardyce would be the injury to Sam Baldock, who limped off early on in the first half.