A close-range lob from Jack Collison was enough for West Ham to overcome Manchester City here and secure their first victory in six matches.The 20-year-old struck on 71 minutes after the visiting goalkeeper, Shay Given, had pushed Savio Nsereko's long-range shot into his path. Keeping calm under pressure, Collison lifted the ball over the scrambling Irishman to claim his third goal of the season.The strike was not just a relief to West Ham and their manager, Gianfranco Zola, but also to those in attendance who up to that point had been made to endure a hugely tedious affair. Neither side played with the guile or ambition that has often characterised them this season and instead seemed content to exchange long, wild passes and reckless tackles. Indeed, interest only lay in the constant abuse Craig Bellamy received from the home supporters on what was the Welshman's first return to Upton Park following his acrimonious transfer to Manchester City in January.Few can criticise the West Ham fans for their reaction. This, after all, is a player who forced his way out of the club having been shown loyalty during an injury-ravaged 19 months in east London during which he contributed nine goals in 26 appearances. Adding to the resentment, the 29-year-old maintains his move to Eastlands was motivated by ambition, a claim West Ham fans clearly dispute if their chant of "You're just a short greedy bastard" is anything to go by.Bellamy, in fairness, has shown an appetite to succeed on the pitch as well as in financial terms since moving to City, having scored five goals in eight matches there, but there was little chance of him adding to that haul here, particularly after he was shunted out wide by Mark Hughes as part of a tactical shuffle by the visiting manager following an injury to Micah Richards on 10 minutes. The Welshman toiled from the outskirts but became increasingly peripheral and it was no surprise when he was substituted, to great cheers, on 67 minutes.Ineffectual as Bellamy was he hardly compared with Robinho, who missed two close-range shots in the space of seven first-half minutes and barely threatened afterwards.City, though, appeared content with their lot, playing solidly in midfield where Vincent Kompany and the returning Nigel De Jong were resolute, but ultimately they could not hold out. Moments after Bellamy had been taken off, Savio, on as a substitute for the seriously injured Valon Behrami, rampaged down the pitch and let fly with a curling right-foot shot. Given parried but could not clear and Collison followed in.West Ham deserved the breakthrough for their constant attempts to create an opening, and their followers would have taken particular delight in Savio's involvement. He was brought to the club as a replacement for Bellamy.That lead was barely threatened in the final 20 minutes – Elano came closest for City with a late free-kick that Lucas Neill had to head away for a corner – and Zola can take relief from the end of his side's mini-slump which on Wednesday saw them exit the FA Cup at Middlesbrough. The only concern for the Italian is the injury to Behrami. The Swiss player twisted his knee on 39 minutes as he attempted to tackle Wayne Bridge and was left reeling on the turf for more than four minutes. He had to be taken off on a stretcher and then to hospital.For Hughes there remains frustration in his team's wretched away form. City have won just once in 13 games away from Eastlands in the Premier League this season and that at Sunderland in August. They remain in 10th place, now four points behind West Ham, who climb to seventh and next face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.Premier LeagueWest Ham UnitedManchester Cityguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
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