Ings Brace Helps Hammers Sink Toothless Forest at London Stadium
Hi everyone,
Hope you are all safe and well.
Apologies for the delay in posting this up, I have had a difficult week with my health which has had me hitting the sack much early in the evening than normal. Getting back to myself but still feeling winded as if I’ve done battle with Kang the Conquerer!
What a match at the London Stadium we were treated to and I was really looking forward to it, hoping we would send Lingard packing with a thrashing, who was given the reception he deserved before and after coming on to replace Wood in the later stages of the match.
I was told this before the game that someone had recently given up their season ticket and instead take their son to watch Grays Athletic play in Isthmian League North Division and play at Parkside in nearby Aveley – they don’t even have their own ground! I am familiar with both Grass and Averley as I used to play at their grounds myself in a youth team back in the day. Well. I’m sure they were checking this result out!
After a forgettable first half Ings was the difference between the sides in just 3 second half minutes where we were treated to 2 cracking goals and surely shows us what we have been missing this season up front. At half time one fan was screaming this was the worst team he has seen play for a generation shouting out how rubbish we are. Well, whatever they put in the half time drink put wind in our sails and there was only one team in it once Ings scored his two goals. Worth every penny of the £15m transfer fee from Villa.
To be fair, Forest have been woeful away from home with only 3 gaols all season, and you can see why. They offered very little throughout the match and apart from a stunning finger tip save from Areola, our keepers were rarely troubled.
The pressure we applied in the second half showed as Ings passed to Bowen and ran into the area to get a foot onto the wingers pass into the net and send the crowd into full voice. Relief was palpable and expectation high as we continued to apply pressure and Forest buckled again. Said Benrahma’s ball into the box was bundled over by the predatory Ings to lift the crowd further and raise the roof. This was unexpected but welcomed and the mood in the house was celebratory – songs of ‘Jessie, what’s the score?’ taunted Lingered as he warmed up only to get on the filed and see a stunning goal by Rice a few minutes later from the edge of the box – victory assured.
Antonio, Lanzini and Fornals came on to replace MOM Ings, Paqueta and Benrahma to see out the game along with Antonio scoring his first goal since October. The party atmosphere swept around the stadium and the team had finally showed what they can achieve on the pitch and have us dreaming of bubbles flying high again.
Lets hope for more of the same in the League so we can finally breath a bit. Its never easy following the Hammers, but give up my season ticket I will not! You never know what you will get and that’s a bit exciting.
Enjoy my photos from the match as we look forward to hosting Villa on the 12th March before taking on AEK Larnaca in the round of 16 second leg of Europa Conference League. Much better that watching Grays Athletic!
Take care
Dawud
From the Stands 