Time is GMT + 8 hours Posted: 17-Aug-2008 02:29 hrs
West Ham's English Striker Dean Ashton celebrates scoring his first goal during during their Premier League match against Wigan at Upton Park in London. West Ham won 2-1.
Dean Ashton scored twice in West Ham's 2-1 win over visiting Wigan, demonstrating to the watching England manager Fabio Capello the error of the claim that England lacks quality young players.
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Just three minutes into the match at Upton Park, the Hammers' 24-year-old striker collected a pass from Julien Faubert and his 12 metre shot found the top right of the goal.
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Six minutes later, the ex-Norwich man again proved his England international credentials when he converted a corner. Calum Davenport got a touch on Faubert's kick which Ashton sent into the bottom of the net with a powerful right foot shot.
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Wigan's response came soon after half-time, when a high ball found Emil Heskey's head, the 29-year-old England veteran knocked it to Amr Zaki and the Egyptian showed his class by volleying it high past Robert Green, marking his first goal in English football.
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Ashton was withdrawn from the field after 72 minutes, after hurting himself while taking a free kick, and Alan Curbishley replaced him with Fred Sears.
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Green denied Wigan a virtually certain chance a couple of minutes later, the Hammers' dependable keeper tipping Wilson Palacios' accurate 25 yard strike over the bar. The 24-year-old Honduran had shown himself to be effective throughout the match, albeit collecting a yellow card after a foul on Carlon Cole.
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In the final minutes, the Latics' recently-signed midfielder Olivier Kapo had a couple of shots on goal: a left field effort from the Frenchman missed the target. Seconds later an opportunity came for the 24-year-old ex Birmingham man to cross to Zaki but the shot went high. — AFP
