Football: Hammers in tatters

West Ham United . . . .0

Queen's Park Rangers. .4

THE half-constructed new stand at Upton Park has much in common with West Ham's defence. There are one or two solid areas but plenty of glaring holes that need to be filled before the required standards of safety and comfort are met.

It provided a perfect backdrop for a Hammers performance that was found to be seriously deficient at the back. By contrast, Rangers' back four looked the more finished article with David Bardsley and Alan McDonald returning to the side after injury. Having conceded 10 goals in four games the difference these two made was palpable and provided a security and freedom for the front players that have been conspicuously absent so far this season.

In truth, West Ham were unlucky to be a goal down at half- time. Until then they had been the equal of their visitors, and had the referee spotted Ray Wilkins' handball after half an hour, or interpreted Bardsley's lunge in the penalty area less generously, it might have all been very different.

The sense that it was never going to be a happy day for the Hammers was compounded when Trevor Morley headed a good chance wide and Mark Robson inexplicably blasted over from close range. Nor were they without their chances in the second half, but they were denied on a number of occasions by some fine keeping from the Welsh No 2, Tony Roberts.

With Les Ferdinand a constant threat up front, Wilkins and Simon Barker marshalling events in midfield and Andy Impey and Trevor Sinclair making plenty of space and chances on the flanks, Rangers began to reproduce their form of last season.

After Darren Peacock had scored with a header from Wilkins' corner, Ferdinand scored the first of his two goals shortly after the interval when he latched on to Wilkins' flighted chip and drove his shot through Miklosko's gloves. Ten minutes later Gary Penrice killed off all hope of a Hammers revival when he turned a statuesque defence and fired an instant shot low into the corner.

With Rangers now running riot and their fans cheering every pass, Ferdinand did his England chances no harm with a fine solo effort for his second goal.

West Ham United (4-4-2): L Miklosko; T Breacker, S Potts, C Foster, J Dicks; M Allen, M Robson, P Butler, K Rowland; T Morley, C Allen. Subs not used: G Peyton (gk), T Gale, M Holmes. Manager: B Bonds.

Queen's Park Rangers (4-4-2): T Roberts; D Bardsley, D Peacock, A McDonald, C Wilson; A Impey, R Wilkins (K Ready, 80 min), S Barker, T Sinclair; L Ferdinand, G Penrice (B Allen, 83 min). Sub not used: J Stejskal (gk). Manager: G Francis.

Referee: V Callow (Solihull).

Goals: Peacock (0-1, 12 min); Ferdinand

(0-2, 47 min); Penrice (0-3, 53 min); Ferdinand (0-4, 71 min).