His deep cross found Steve Agnew on the edge of the area, who fired beautifully past Ogrizovic.It was Sunderland's first goal in five games from open play With Stewart and Russell on form they might have had more. In response Ron Atkinson switched to three at the back, throwing the extra man into attack. In a frantic finale - extended by five minutes by the referee - Whelan had a goal disallowed for offside and Coton made two fine saves.In a curious climax, Ogrizovic came up for a 94th minute corner. Russell won the ball, raced the length of the field but ran out of puff inside the six yard box, allowing David Burrows to clear his tame shot from the line.Atkinson commented: "For an hour we didn't play.
We didn't drive the game hard enough, we didn't pass the ball well enough and we looked as if we'd settled for a goalless draw."Now the most pressing question of survival is not that of the newcomers Sunderland, but Big Ron at Highfield Road.. Paul Stewart took over as target man and the pacy Russell tore into the space.Less than 10 minutes after half-time Ball put Russell clear down the left. The game changed in the 40th minute when Quinn hobbled off and on came Craig Russell, Sunderland's leading scorer last season. Gary McAllister was not just policed but arrested by Kevin Ball, while Noel Whelan and John Salako were out-competed by Sunderland's no-nonsense defence. Tony Coton spent the first half fielding back-passes while at the other end Steve Ogrizovic was leaping to clutch or punch Sunderland's long-balls lofted towards Niall Quinn's head.Stalemate set in and Roker Park became restless. THE teams were heralded on to the pitch by "Fanfare for the Common Man" but for an hour all they could produce was fare unworthy of even the poorest man in this millionaires' League.
Sunderland were honest workmen while Coventry's wealth of talent laboured to create chances. The addition of the energetic Hughes to the skill and vision that Bishop and Moncur can muster between them proved the decisive factor.. West Ham had already reshuffled their depleted resources when Cottee was pulled off after the second goal and replaced by Tim Breacker.Jason Lee's arrival for the injured Jerkan momentarily perked up the Forest attack, although a splendid piece of magic involving Bishop and Moncur on the break gave Iain Dowie a free header, but the Northern Ireland striker glanced it wide.Forest certainly didn't lack the spirit to manoeuvre a comeback although their slack finishing and West Ham's keeper Steve Mautone ensured that it did not materialise. Tony Cottee survived two tackles to clatter his shot against Crossley and the rebound flew to the advancing Hughes, who promptly hammered it home.Forest lost Nikola Jerkan when the Croat was felled by a Moncur tackle which earned a justified booking.
With the flying Australian Stan Lazaridis cantering up and down the visitors' left wing they could conjure up more real threat with a handful of passes than Forest mustered in the 90 minutes. The Londoners even survived being reduced to 10 men for the last 34 minutes with the sending off of Marc Rieper for pulling back Roy as the Dutchman headed for goal.They were already one up through Mark Bowen sneaking in at Mark Crossley's left-hand post to head home a Lazaridis cross in the 44th minute Their second came a minute after Rieper's dismissal. West Ham's polyglot collection were far more fluent, especially after Ian Bishop and John Moncur conspired with the roving Michael Hughes to take command of the midfield, where Ian Woan looked an increasingly wan figure as the game wore on and the support he needed from the likes of Bryan Roy and Alfie Haaland failed to materialise. THE HAMMERS blew into Nottingham and snatched three points with the minimum of effort from the City ground, leaving Forest still seeking their first home Premiership win as the bleak midwinter approaches. Even allowing for the absence of their leading goalscorer, Kevin Campbell, if Forest don't pull their socks up the midwinter could be bleak indeed. The Portuguese striker latched on to a 50-yard pass from Jackie McNamara and left keeper Ian Westwater stranded before scoring.Di Canio then scored two goals in six minutes before half-time, beating Dunfermline's flawed offside trap for his first in 35 minutes and then profiting from a misdirected Cadete bicycle kick to net the third.Van Hooijdonk showed great largesse, but little accuracy when he missed the penalty in the 50th minute, after Dunfermline defender John Clark had brought down Cadete.Gerry Britton reduced the deficit in the 65th minute with a back post header, converting a cross from Ivo Den Bieman., Robertson and Smith had further chances, but Van Hooijdonkmade it 4-1 in the 72nd minute after good work by Di Canio and then in the final minute he unlocked a stunning 25-yard free kick which curled over the wall high into Westwater's net.. Burns said later: "The supporters let the players know their feelings and my team knew it was going to be hard to win the crowd back again."Only after Cadete opened the floodgates, in the 32nd minute, did the huge crowd respond. It would have taken a hard heart not to be won over by such a thing of beauty.
