Ings bags brace on first West Ham start as Hammers batter Forest
Entering this match in the bottom three put West Ham under plenty of pressure, but the Hammers responded positively as they went on the front foot from the first whistle.
Despite conjuring a flurry of shots and balls into the box, the hosts couldn’t quite make a breakthrough with Danny Ings’ instinctive effort coming closest, hitting Felipe and the post on its way wide.
Vladimír Coufal’s cross then provided Ings with another opportunity, although the striker spurned it with a mistimed header.
Despite more periods of sustained Hammers pressure in the first half, David Moyes’ side still couldn’t break through Forest’s defences.
Saïd Benrahma got into a good position thanks to some excellent link-up with the returning Lucas Paquetá, although he ultimately hit a tame shot that was routinely saved by Keylor Navas.
Having given Forest a good out ball in the first half, Brennan Johnson was halted by Declan Rice while attempting to capitalise on a rare opening early in the second.
Just moments after the blow of Łukasz Fabiański being forced off, Ings gave West Ham the lift they craved when Rice’s sweeping pass found Bowen, who teed up the striker for his maiden Hammers goal.
Perhaps buoyed by that strike, the forward netted another mere moment later when he bundled Benrahma’s ball over the line.
The mood at London Stadium turned from relief to jubilation, as Rice sent an exquisite strike into the top corner for West Ham’s third, which came just eight minutes after the opener.
The icing on the cake came through Michail Antonio, who emerged from the bench to head home fellow substitute Pablo Fornals’ cross for his first PL goal since October, as West Ham emphatically secured their second win in 12 PL matches to lift themselves to 16th in the table.
Meanwhile, Forest haven’t won any of their last five away matches across all competitions but remain four points above the bottom three.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Declan Rice (West Ham United)
