Morrell extends scoring spree to edge out Hammers

Coventry City 2 - West Ham United 1

Calum Davenport was handed the Coventry captain's armband for his last appearance before making the move to Tottenham Hotspur and put in a typically defiant defensive effort as Peter Reid's men capped a superb Bank Holiday weekend with a win over a poor West Ham side.

Calum Davenport was handed the Coventry captain's armband for his last appearance before making the move to Tottenham Hotspur and put in a typically defiant defensive effort as Peter Reid's men capped a superb Bank Holiday weekend with a win over a poor West Ham side.

Andy Morrell netted his fourth goal in three games with an exquisite finish to secure all three points, but the limelight was on the departing 21-year-old who moves to White Hart Lane today. "He has been astounding for us in the short amount of time that I have been here," Reid said. "There has been a lot of speculation about the boy and it hasn't affected him. He is a Premiership footballer and we are not in a position to be turning down such an offer. I do not think that we could have got the three points without him."

Coventry went into the game in a rich vein of form, or so their impressive eight goals in their past two games suggested, and a resounding 4-1 away win over Nottingham Forest on Saturday had left Reid expecting another confident display.

West Ham pinned the home side back in the opening exchanges, but on 13 minutes Davenport rose highest to nod home a free-kick from Michael Doyle but it was ruled out for a foul in the mêlée leading up to the goal.

Four minutes from the interval, Nigel Reo-Coker bundled his way into the penalty area, the West Ham midfielder carving his way past four defenders before squaring the ball for Sheringham to slot home from close range., But a minute into injury time, Doyle drew Coventry level with a well-taken free-kick from the edge of the penalty area.

Neither team was stirred by the words of their managers during the interval as the game got off to a meandering restart. But on 57 minutes Davenport denied Sheringham with a brave last-ditch challenge as the striker looked certain to score.

And on 76 minutes, Morrell set alight Highfield Road when he met a cross from Stephen Hughes and connected perfectly with a scissors kick inside the penalty area to give the home side the win. West Ham substitute Steve Lomas was sent off for abusive language on the final whistle.

Alan Pardew, the West Ham manager, said: "I am not happy with the team and I am looking to get a few new faces in. There are a few individuals that could do a lot better."

Coventry City: (4-4-2) Shearer; Staunton, Davenport, Carey, Shaw; Sherwood, Hughes, Doyle, Wood (Barrett, 64); Morrell (Gudjonsson, 83), Johnson (Suffo, 64). Substitutes not used: Marriot (gk), Whing.

West Ham United: (4-4-2) Bywater; Repka, Ferdinand, Brevett (Garcia, 83), Mullins; Nowland (Lomas, 60), Reo-Coker, Etherington, Rebrov (Chadwick, 68); Harewood, Sheringham. Substitutes not used: Walker (gk), Ward.

Referee: C Webster.