West Ham United lead 2-1 at half time against Blackburn Rovers in the Premiership clash at Upton Park on Saturday.

In an exciting first period, the home side took the lead through defender Calum Davenport, while an own goal from Chris Samba put Alan Curbishley’s side in a commanding 2-0 lead before Jason Roberts pulled a goal back.

The Londoners had the upper hand in the early exchanges on a sunny afternoon, which they converted into a goal when Julien Faubert curled in a corner kick for Davenport to head home in the 12th minute.

Soon after, Rovers boss Paul Ince, who formerly played for the Hammers, saw his side fall behind to an own goal by defender Samba, who trying to clear the ball off a Mark Noble pass, deflected it past Paul Robinson in the 20th minute.

The visitors almost immediately reduced the deficit when Roberts got away from defender Davenport and Behrami, before slotting past Robert Green. They would have been on parity had substitute Matt Derbyshire’s goal been counted, but the linesman controversially ruled it out for an off-side.

Rovers suffered an injury blow when striker Roque Santa Cruz hobbled out of action just around the half-hour mark.

Teams:

West Ham: Green, Davenport, Neill, Upson, Parker, Noble, Faubert, Behrami, Etherington, Ashton, Cole.

Substitutes not used: Boa Morte, Sears, Bellamy, Reid, McCartney, Lastuvka, Mullins.

Blackburn: Robinson, Samba, Warnock, Emerton, Ooijer, Nelsen, Grella, Reid, Pedersen, Roberts, Santa Cruz (Derbyshire).

Substitutes not used: Villanueva, Brown, Mokoena, Andrews, Treacy, Simpson.