Charlton Athletic...4 West Ham United...2West Ham remain locked to the foot of the league after a familiar failing derailed their latest attempt to save themselves last night. An early and somewhat fortunate goal had given them hope of a first league win in three months - and their first on this ground since 1957 - but for the sixth time this season they surrendered a lead to end the game beaten.
A run of six points from a possible 42 tells of a club in crisis. After Scott Parker's second goal and then a last-minute effort from Radostin Kishishev secured victory for Charlton, the visiting fans angrily demanded their manager Glenn Roder's dismissal. Rapidly he, and they, are running out of hope and it is their dismal defence which is causing most harm.
With less than a minute gone, Lee Bowyer caught Shaun Bartlett late, the ball rolling into the Charlton dug-out, from where it was immediately despatched, at great pace, back at Bowyer. The fourth official smartly intervened.
Bowyer, returning to his first professional club, then got involved in a running battle with Parker which saw both men booked within 15 minutes.
With a sudden downpour at kick-off coating the surface in a film of water, the action was frenetic. Bartlett could have scored after nine minutes only for his scissors-kick from Claus Jensen's corner to fly high, but 10 minutes later Charlton were behind.
Edouard Cisse played a one-two with Jermain Defoe on halfway, Michael Carrick nudged the ball back into the Frenchman's path from where it was sent over Dean Kiely and into the net from 18 yards, Richard Rufus possibly getting the final touch.
There was no such doubt over Charlton's equaliser shortly before the interval. After Christian Dailly fouled Kevin Lisbie, Jensen's aim was unerring, the ball driven from 30 yards into the top corner.
There was still time for Parker to put the home side in front before the break, the midfielder collecting Jason Euell's pass, to push the ball past Scott Minto with his right foot and finish with his left.
West Ham fell further behind after a complete change in fortune for the man credited with their first goal. If Cisse had benefited from some luck then, it turned dramatically in the 52nd minute when his clearing header from Jensen's free-kick bounced straight to Parker, whose first-time left-foot shot went back through Cisse's legs on its way into the bottom corner.
Roeder's side appeared unlikely then to stage a comeback, but Carrick's shot ten minutes later, deflecting off Trevor Sinclair after good work from Ferdinand, gave them fresh hope. However, Kishishev's finished them off.
CHARLTON: Kiely, Rufus, Fish, Fortune, Kishishev, Euell, Jensen (Svensson 88), Parker, Powell, Lisbie (Konchesky 72), Bartlett (Johansson 85). Subs Not Used: Rachubka, Bart-Williams. Goals: Jensen 42, Parker 45, 52, Kishishev 90.
WEST HAM: James, Lomas, Breen, Dailly, Minto (Winterburn 73), Bowyer, Cisse (Johnson 63), Carrick, Sinclair, Defoe, Les Ferdinand. Subs Not Used: Van Der Gouw, Hutchison, Pearce. Booked: Les Ferdinand. Goals: Cisse 19, Sinclair 62. Att: 26,340
Referee: E Wolstenholme (Lancashire).
Guardian Service
