(AP Photo/Tom Hevezi)

Hines hits late winner for West Ham

By JAMES PIERCY,

(AP) -- LONDON (SE) - West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola hailed Zavon Hines as the young winger's 94th-minute winner fired his side to their first three points since the opening day of the season with a 2-1 victory over Aston Villa.

Captain Mark Noble converted a first-half penalty to give the Hammers the lead before Ashley Young's wonder goal drew Villa level two minutes after he had seen his spot-kick saved by Rob Green.

Villa defender Habib Beye was sent-off for a second bookable offence four minutes from time and with the game stretched Scott Parker exploited the space to set up Hines in stoppage time.

Zola said: "Zavon Hines is determined to impress and we are all delighted for the boy and for ourselves.

"It has been incredible, I am delighted for the team because they have been a through a difficult time.

"We started well but lost a couple of players however we reacted and came back with a victory which I think was well-deserved.

"I was calm when they equalised because I felt something was going to happen. Their goal was unbelievable and we did not expect that but we believed and fought until the end.

"It is a massive win because there are games where we have been playing well but not got the points and this will give the team confidence."

West Ham were hit with two early set backs first full back Henrita Illunga was forced off with a hamstring injury and then Carlton Cole followed his team-mate down the tunnel 24 minutes later with a similar problem.

Villa seized on the disruption in Zola's pre-match planning to win a succession of corners, none of which came to much but the signs were ominous for a Hammers side desperately searching for a win.

Stilyan Petrov and Gabi Agbonlahor kept the pressure firmly on the hosts forcing Brad Friedel to punch clear but against the balance of play West Ham were handed an opportunity to take the lead.

Parker sent Hines running clear and as Beye bore down on the young wide man the Villa defender appeared to push him in the back and a penalty was given.

Noble converted the spot-kick but as the half-time whistle blew several Villa players surrounded referee Steve Bennett unhappy with the decision.

With the second half barely three minutes old Villa were awarded a penalty of their own as Manuel Da Costa's clumsy high challenge was dangerously close to James Collins's head.

Young's effort from 12-yards was well-saved by Green but Martin O'Neill's side only had to wait a couple more minutes before they were level.

England winger Young cut inside from the left-hand side and looked to pick out John Carew with a swinging cross which caught Green unawares and drifted into the top corner.

Villa were down to ten-men as Beye saw red for a foul on Jack Collison and with four minutes of injury time held up by the fourth official momentum was very much in West Ham's favour.

The impressive Parker was at the centre of things and mounted one final attack in the dying moments to create space before picking out Hines to squeeze a flicked finish past Friedel.

Villa boss O'Neill said: "I do not think we should have been beaten, I think we did enough to get something from the game.

"I just thought in the last 15 minute we looked a bit tired and when Habib Beye got sent off I thought, 'let's not lose the game' but it was not to be.

"It is disappointing but we will fight back."

Updated November 4, 2009