Collison double downs Bluebirds

Jack Collison's double strike helped West Ham take a huge stride closer to the Barclays Premier League with a 2-0 win over Cardiff.

The Welshman, a product of the London club's youth system, registered twice in the first half of his side's npower Championship play-off semi-final first leg encounter at the Cardiff City Stadium, nodding home from close range after nine minutes and then seeing his deflected volley find the back of the net five minutes before the break to give the Hammers a huge advantage going into the second leg on Monday. The hosts struggled for any kind of rhythm for much of the match and West Ham could have taken an even more comfortable lead back to Upton Park, but for David Marshall's superb save from Carlton Cole's header. The Hammers may still have two more games to negotiate before they can celebrate a return to the top flight but, on this showing, the class and determination is there to achieve exactly that.