If bad luck and bad refereeing can explain some of Hammers recent defeats, this one was just plain bad.

The only thing which was not lacking was spirit -- in every other area of this passionate London derby Glenn Roeder's men were found wanting.

The first signs of unco-ordinated defending and wasteful midfield play had given the Addicks the initiative early on.

So it was a surprise that West Ham took the lead after 19 minutes with a freak goal off the out-stretched leg of Richard Rufus.

The luckless defender lobbed his own keeper from 18 yards under pressure from Edouard Cisse, after Michael Carrick had made a solo break from halfway.

But Charlton struck back in the last few minutes of the half.

Christian Dailly needlessly fouled Shaun Bartlett 30 yards from goal and Claus Jensen curled a magnificent free-kick over the wall and into the top right-hand corner.

Then that dithering midfield watched as Mark Fish's aimless hoof fell to Kevin Lisbie and he fed Jason Euell.

With Lee Bowyer the only moving Hammer in view, Euell released Scott Parker into the box and he finished neatly in stoppage time.

It did not improve after the break when a weak defensive header from a routine ball to the far post fell for the unattended Parker to drive a low shot through Cisse's legs and past another defender on its way into the net.

There was still time for a second own goal to raise the visitors hopes.

Carrick, one of the few players to emerge with any credit from the evening, hit a low shot which spun off Fish's heel and wrongfooted Dean Kiely.

That reawakened a chance which should have gone long before, but sadly there was no way back.

And a fourth Charlton goal summed up all that was wrong with West Ham on the night and throughout the season. Lee Bowyer lost possession cheaply to Jonatan Johansson, who then found two defenders willing to allow him to cross.

David James did well to parry Matt Svensson's shot, but no-one had bothered to track Radostin Kishishev as he swept the ball home.

Published Thursday, January 23, 2003

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