English round-up: Charlie Adam on target, but Robbie Keane goal helps Hammers to beat Blackpool

Published on 02/02/2011 17:25

ROBBIE Keane struck a debut goal and Victor Obinna hit two more as West Ham won 3-1 at Blackpool to lift themselves off the bottom of the Barclays Premier League last night.

The damage was all done in the first-half as the Hammers held off a spirited Blackpool, who replied through Charlie Adam, in an entertaining contest at Bloomfield Road.

Keane's flying start after joining the club on loan from Tottenham and the weekend and the form of Obinna, who scored a hat-trick on his previous outing, offered much hope for manager Avram Grant.

Craig Gardner was Birmingham's hero for the second time in a week as he dealt a blow to Manchester City's fading title hopes at St. Andrew's. Gardner had scored the goal which earned Alex McLeish's side victory over West Ham in the Carling Cup semi-final and followed that up with a late equaliser from the penalty spot as his side salvaged a precious point. The visitors twice led through Carlos Tevez and Aleksandar Kolarov but were pegged back by Nikola Zigic and then Gardner's sixth goal of the campaign. It means they are now eight points adrift of Barclays Premier League leaders Manchester United and have played a game more.

Peter Crouch's fourth-minute goal was enough to keep Tottenham in sight of a Champions League place with a victory against Blackburn. It was a huge boost for manager Harry Redknapp given how many of his players were either injured or suspended.

Crouch got the all-important goal when he rose above Chris Samba and headed Rafael van der Vaart's cross into the corner.

Daniel Sturridge marked his Bolton debut with an injury-time winner as Wolves handed the Trotters a first victory in six Premier League games.

It looked like visiting goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey would leave Bolton frustrated with a series of a fine saves but a disastrous back pass from Ronald Zubar presented on-loan Chelsea striker Sturridge with a chance he could not miss.

Moments earlier, Kevin Doyle had seen his shot deflected onto a post for Wolves, who dropped below West Ham to the foot of the table.

Damien Duff twisted the knife into former club Newcastle after their striker misery deepened with a 1-0 defeat at Fulham. Duff netted his first league goal for almost a year to settle a tight affair and propel the in-form Cottagers to 12th in the table, one point behind their opponents.

It was another night to forget for Newcastle, who lost Shola Ameobi to a suspected fractured cheekbone less than 48 hours after selling Andy Carroll.