Henry hammers fancy dans

Tranmere trample over Premiership skills and frills

John Aldridge's Tranmere Rovers took full advantage of West Ham's customary travel sickness yesterday by delivering a classic FA Cup performance which always looked like a home banker from the moment that the visitors first stepped on to the pitch.

John Aldridge's Tranmere Rovers took full advantage of West Ham's customary travel sickness yesterday by delivering a classic FA Cup performance which always looked like a home banker from the moment that the visitors first stepped on to the pitch.

A single first-half goal, perfectly struck by Nick Henry, may have been all that divided the teams at the finish, but the gulf in application and attitude in this particular contest was much wider than that.

Tranmere will be looking for something similar as they try to complete a double when they take on Middlesbrough in the quarter-finals of the Worthington Cup on Tuesday.

It was Jock Stein who told his players about the distinction between boiler-suit football and dinner-jacket football and yesterday West Ham made the mistake of arriving on the Wirral wearing their evening best.

Tranmere, on a grey afternoon after a morning of heavy rain, had their sleeves rolled up and carried out their intention of preventing their distinguished Premiership visitors from settling down and finding any rhythm at all. From the start, it was clear that despite all the prettiness of their approach play, West Ham would be facing an afternoon when blood and sweat were the requirements.

Neil Ruddock was showing the required urgency and leadership from the back, but West Ham were unable to impose their apparent technical superiority on their opponents and spent most of the opening period defending in depth against wave after wave of Tranmere attacks.

Eventually, their resistance was broken. The goal came after 23 minutes when Marc-Vivian Foé made a weak clearing header on the edge of the penalty area and the ball fell invitingly in front of the veteran midfielder Henry. The Liverpool-born former Oldham and Sheffield United player rolled back the years with an instant left-foot volley, which arced beyond the diving Shaka Hislop and inside his right-hand post. In the team only because Clint Hill was suspended, Henry duly celebrated extravagantly what was his first goal for the Merseyside club.

The goal gave Tranmere the confidence to try anything and for a few minutes West Ham were rocked back before they regained any composure. During this spell a Gary Jones shot from 20 yards flashed just wide. Had it gone in, the Hammers may well have been nailed down there and then.

As it was, they recovered and in the eight minutes before the interval showed some of the sort of football that has carried them into a good position in the League, albeit heavily reliant on their home form. A cross by Steve Lomas was met by Frank Lampard, whose first-time effort was splendidly blocked by Joe Murphy. Ruddock put his follow-up into the side netting.

The introduction after the interval of Paul Kitson at centre-forward gave West Ham a focal point in attack. With Steve Potts taken off, Lomas dropped to right-back, and they were certainly more threatening.

Tranmere, continuing to rely on the 4-5-1 formation that had put them on top, did everything to protect that lead. Boots flew, tackles came from all ranges and angles and even a player as gifted as Joe Cole was frequently dispossessed by their enthusiasm.

As time went by and the light deteriorated, Paolo Di Canio became an increasingly forlorn figure. Twice he was involved in exchanges with Reuben Hazell, Tranmere's stand-in centre-back, and he also engaged in arm-waving arguments with his own bench every time Trevor Sinclair was caught offside.

It was little surprise when, only a few minutes after Sinclair had been cautioned for a wild challenge, Di Canio was substituted with Paulo Wanchope coming on to add height as West Ham mounteda last-ditch attempt for an equaliser.

However, there was greater danger at the other end where shots from Andy Parkinson, Henry and Alan Mahon flew agonisingly wide.