Craig Bellamy scored twice as West Ham United recorded a 2-0 victory over Peterborough United at London Road in a pre-season friendly that included plenty of fluent football from both sides.
After a 10-minute delay due to supporters trying to get into the Moy's End Terrace, the game got underway and West Ham were soon in front as Craig BELLAMY showed tremendous pace to race away from the Posh defence, round goalkeeper Joe Lewis and slot the ball into an empty net.
Posh responded with some slick football of their own with Aaron Mclean, George Boyd and Craig Mackail-Smith linking well, but when the ball broke it was Charlie Lee who lashed the ball goal-wards, but he didn't trouble England goalkeeper Robert Green.
Lee fired wide from 20-yards on the quarter hour mark as Posh began to ease themselves into the friendly. An acrobatic over-head kick from Aaron Mclean was expertly tipped around the post by Robert Green after Chris Whelpdale had delivered an excellent cross into the centre.
A looping header from Craig Morgan was palmed over the bar by Green as the home side continued to press. Mclean found the side-netting with a right-foot shot from just inside the box after Dean Keates' free-kick was only half cleared.
Chris Whelpdale was then next to test Green as his low drive was parried by the former Norwich goalkeeper after Boyd had initially showed great vision to pick out the winger.
Lee headed a Russell Martin free-kick over the bar on the half hour mark after Tom Williams had watched his cross strike the hand of Anton Ferdinand. An ambitious chip from Boyd nearly caught Green out moments later, but the shot-stopper got his hand up to push the ball over the crossbar.
Kyel Reid volleyed wide at the other end after Julien Faubert's corner kick was only cleared to the edge of the area. The lead was doubled on 41 minutes as another long ball from the back-line dissected the Posh back-four and allowed BELLAMY to race clear and cleverly lob Lewis with the ball dropping nicely into the net.
A sharp turn and shot from Carlton Cole should have yielded a third goal for the Hammers but he fired wide from close-range after wriggling past Shane Blackett, who was far too deep.
A slick move on 51 minutes should have produced a goal for Whelpdale, but he headed wide when well-placed after Russell Martin had picked the winger out six-yards from goal unmarked.
An acrobatic volley from Keates rolled wide of Green's right hand post as the pressure again began to build on the Iron. Scott Parker did see a clever chip drift just wide of the target on 55 minutes after an alarming gap appeared in the centre of the Posh defence.
Manager Darren Ferguson made a quartet of substitutions just after the hour mark with Chris Westwood, Scott Rendell, Shaun Batt and Paul Coutts introduced, the latter two making their first appearances at London Road in match action.
Posh were denied a deserved consolation on 71 minutes as a volley from Boyd struck the base of the post before rebounding to safety. Substitute Kieran Charnock did well to send Cole wide moments later and the former Charlton man could only find the side-netting with his effort.
Batt was denied at the other end by a comfortable Stech save as Posh continued to try and get on the scoresheet. Cole fired over on 82 minutes after a poor defensive header from Charnock. Martin saw a shot saved by Stech after good work from Alfie Potter as Posh counter-attacked well. Lewis made a superb save to deny substitute Sears as he raced clear of Charnock.
Final Score: Peterborough United 0-2 West Ham United
Posh: Lewis, Martin, Blackett (sub Westwood 61min), Morgan (sub Charnock 73min), Lee (sub Hyde 67min), Mclean (sub Rendell 61min), Boyd (sub Potter 73min), Keates (sub Coutts 61min), Mackail-Smith, Whelpdale (sub Batt 61min), Williams. Subs: McKeown.
West Ham: Green (sub Stech 73min), Neil, Ferdinand (sub Collison 88min), Upson, Behrami (sub Widdowson 67min), Parker, Faubert, Bellamy (sub Sears 73min), Reid (sub Stanlislas 83min), Cole, Noble. Subs: Davenport, Stokes, Mullins.
Referee: Mr K Wright
Attendance: 5,352
