03/05/2003  West Ham 1 Chelsea 0

Paolo Di Canio - who else - was the West Ham hero as he 
came in from the cold to score the goal which ensures the 
Hammers' fight for survival goes down to the final game of the 
season.

Just a fortnight ago Di Canio's love affair with the 
Hammers seemed over, as he had been frozen out by manager 
Glenn Roeder and did not look like getting another game before 
his contract ran out in the summer and he left the club.

But with Roeder in hospital following the minor stroke he 
suffered at Upton Park on Easter Monday, caretaker-manager 
Trevor Brooking recalled the controversial Italian to the 
bench, and he came on in the second half to sweep home the 
70th-minute winner against arch rivals Chelsea.

It was a script writer's dream, and one more piece in the 
fairytale jigsaw which might yet see West Ham become the first 
club in the history of the Premiership to be bottom of the 
table at Christmas and pull off a miracle escape.

Di Canio scored two stunning goals to help West Ham beat 
Chelsea at Stamford Bridge earlier in the season, but a 
combination of injury and problems with the manager have seen 
him limited to just 17 league appearances.

He had appealed for a chance to show the fans how much the 
club meant to him and Brooking gave him that chance by 
starting him on the bench and then sending him on in place of 
Les Ferdinand after 56 minutes.

Di Canio's eighth goal of the season, finishing off a 
deflected Trevor Sinclair cross from four yards, gave West Ham 
a deserved victory and meant they completed the double over 
the Blues for the first time in the Premiership.

But the longer-term effects could be hugely significant if 
Brooking's warriors can win at Birmingham next weekend and one 
of their rivals slips up to help them complete the great 
escape.

The smile on Brooking's face at the end said it all, as his 
Midas touch worked for the second successive week.

Brooking had been bold with his tactics from the start, 
playing Les Ferdinand, Freddie Kanoute and Jermain Defoe in 
the same forward line, but the gamble worked in the end and 
there is still hope for the Hammers.

Brooking had predicted a cup final atmosphere and it 
certainly was charged at Upton Park.

The home fans almost had something to cheer about as 
Kanoute might have given West Ham the lead after just 67 
seconds.

Sinclair took down a Steve Lomas throw-in on the left and 
delivered a low cross towards the penalty spot.

Kanoute met it but missed his kick, and Defoe followed up 
with a half-volley which was saved by Carlo Cudicini.

Glen Johnson forced a right wing corner after six minutes 
and although it was initially cleared, it needed a flying save 
from Cudicini to tip Kanoute's header over the bar when the 
ball came back into the danger zone.

West Ham put together another good move down their left 
which produced a chance for Ferdinand in the 13th minute.

Rufus Brevett fed Sinclair, his cross was nodded down by 
Kanoute and Ferdinand hit a fierce rising drive which flew 
just over the bar.

It was no surprise that Frank Lampard was booed every time 
he touched the ball.

He made 187 appearances for the Hammers, scoring 38 goals 
before his £11million switch two seasons ago, and he gave his 
old club a huge scare after 27 minutes when he almost 
scored.

Graeme Le Saux curled in a corner from the right and 
Lampard won a downward header which was cleared off the line 
by Brevett.

West Ham were fortunate to win a corner three minutes 
before the break when the assistant referee ruled that Marcel 
Desailly's back pass crossed the line.

It should have proved decisive as Steve Lomas had a free 
header from Brevett's right wing cross, but he somehow glanced 
the ball wide of the far post.

West Ham needed a spark - or better still a goal, and the 
fans thought they had got one after 55 minutes. Sinclair did 
well on the left before delivering a far post cross, and 
Kanoute met it with a header which was inches wide.

The spark arrived as Di Canio got stripped and ready for 
action. He exchanged a hug with Brooking and was introduced in 
place of Ferdinand after 56 minutes.

Sinclair was again the provider after 62 minutes with a 
deep cross from the left. Lomas rose well to meet it with his 
head and Cudicini stretched to tip it over the bar.

The turning point came on 70 minutes when Cole fed Sinclair 
on the right and his low cross was deflected right into Di 
Canio's path.

The controversial Italian made no mistake as he swept home 
the ball from four yards to spark scenes of wild celebration 
for the goal which might just keep West Ham in the 
Premiership.

Hearts were in mouths when the board went up to show four 
minutes of injury time, and there was tension until the final 
seconds when James had to dive to his left in the final 
seconds to keep out Lampard's fierce drive.

Even Cudicini came up for the corner, but the Hammers held 
on and must now hope to win at Birmingham and see either 
Bolton or Leeds slip up in their final two games to have any 
hope of survival.

This was all about West Ham, but Chelsea have the 
consolation of knowing that if they beat Liverpool at Stamford 
Bridge next weekend they will clinch a place in the Champions 
League.