Goals from Demba Ba, Manuel da Costa and Thomas Hitzlsperger enabled West Ham to climb out of the relegation zone after a match that confirmed Stoke are among the teams in danger of going down this season.It took a blunder to bring this game to life. Until the 21st minute there had been but aimless skirmishing, but then a lapse in communication in the Stoke defence gifted West Ham the lead.Mark Noble flipped a pass through the middle and Ba set off in chase. The defender Marc Wilson and the goalkeeper Asmir Begovic both got to it ahead of the striker but, much like Laurent Koscielny and Wojciech Szczesny in last week's Carling Cup final, the team-mates left the ball to each other, with the result that neither dealt with it. So Ba rolled it gratefully into the empty net from close range to claim his fourth goal in four league games.Ba could have been playing for Stoke. The Senegalese striker had seemed set to make the Britannia Stadium his new home in January, only for Tony Pulis to veto the transfer at the last minute, apparently because of doubts about the player's fitness. Stoke's defenders surely now regret that decision, as Ba bothered them all afternoon.In the 29th minute, the still-flustered Wilson brought down the striker, 30 yards out – up stepped Hitzlsperger to flight the ensuing free-kick to the far post, where Da Costa arrived to power a header into the net.Now West Ham had momentum. Scott Parker, Noble and the outstanding Hitzlsperger probed continuously, providing a level of class from midfield that Stoke simply did not have.Hitzlsperger, the German international whose return from injury has, along with Ba's arrival, been a major factor in West Ham's improved form, nearly scored before the break, bringing a fine save from Begovic with a swirling shot from the edge of the box after strong play by Carlton Cole.Two minutes into the second half, Ba again tormented Stoke, barging his way through virtually the entire defence on his way to winning a corner. Noble delivered and Da Costa headed against the outside of the post.The Stoke substitute Kenwyne Jones went close with a header in the 67th minute and Robert Green was twice called into action to foil Jonathan Walters, but, in truth, Stoke never really looked worthy of a point from this game.Hitzlsperger made absolutely sure they did not by crashing the ball into the roof of the net in the 83rd minute after a fine run down the right by Parker.Stoke have now lost six away matches in a row. They will be thankful next weekend they are at home in the FA Cup quarter-finals. But perhaps not so thankful their opponents will be. West Ham's Ba might show the locals what they are missing.Premier LeagueWest Ham UnitedStoke CityPaul Doyleguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
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