For West Ham the year begins here, with Harry Redknapp's charges banishing some - if not all - of their recent bad habits with their first win of 1999. But new resolutions are notoriously hard to keep and neither Redknapp nor Ron Atkinson were giving any guarantees.
It was hardly a game to stimulate fresh hope, even if Nottingham Forest at times showed zest mocking their moribund season. But even those bursts and two West Ham goals utterly out of context amid such mundanity were false pointers. Redknapp's tone was sardonic as he defended his side's overall record and new signings in the wake of recent criticisms. On paper, at least, West Ham are standing still. They are eighth, which is where they were this time last year, and precisely their position at season's end.
Redknapp would not guarantee a place this time in Europe even if "everyone here is talking about it". Then a reminder: "It wasn't too long ago that everyone talked about staying up and that shows how times have changed. We've not been in the bottom half of the League for two years." He also ridiculed reports that his captain, Steve Lomas, was about to move to Blackburn for £4 million and stoutly defended new signing Marc Vivien Foe, despite dropping the French midfielder after just two games.
"He needs to get used to the pace of the game here," said Redknapp. "But he'll be back in the side and do a tremendous job for us."
Paolo Di Canio missed a simple chance early on but otherwise justified Redknapp's faith in him and one of his many subtle passes set up Sinclair to cross for Frank Lampard to tap home. Upton Park was growing restless long before the initial break-through arrived, after 35 minutes, and with a style few could have foreseen. A dummy by Paul Kitson, a feint by Eyal Berkovic and a gentle but precise volley from Ian Pearce.
Atkinson wanted to buy Di Canio to link with Pierre van Hooijdonk, but with the Italian snapped up by the opposition the Dutchman made little impact other than to provide the free-kick that Jon Olav Hjelde headed in to offer Forest brief hope.
West Ham United: Hislop, Ruddock, Ferdinand, Pearce, Lomas, Sinclair, Lampard, Berkovic (Cole 77), Lazaridis (Minto 89), Kitson, Di Canio. Subs Not Used: Potts, Foe, Forrest. Booked: Kitson. Goals: Pearce 35, Lampard 39.
Nottingham Forest: Beasant, Harkes (Quashie 67), Hjelde, Rogers, Stensaas (Chettle 57), Palmer, Stone, Johnson, Gemmill (Porfirio 77), Van Hooijdonk, Shipperley. Subs Not Used: Darcheville, Crossley. Booked: Johnson, Van Hooijdonk, Rogers. Goals: Hjelde 84.
Referee: R Harris (Oxford).
