Hammers strike no sparks with Bowyer

The Premiership's transfer window may have only been slightly ajar, but through it has blown a particularly unpleasant draught. It has been an uncomfortable week for football. Lee Bowyer's move south to West Ham, the club he has "always supported", was in pure football terms an astute piece of business by the manager, Glenn Roeder. To many though, the six-month contract offered to the Leeds player who possesses a highly dubious off-field reputation by a club located in an area containing a large Asian population, was fundamentally flawed. There was no doubting his commitment to the cause. It was more a question of the moral judgement involved.

The cynics amongst us presume that, assuming Bowyer avoids further problems, the controversy will blow over. It tends to. The suggestion, however, that he might be a catalyst for a regeneration of West Ham's season did not quite prove the case. Despite leading 2-1 for much of the second half, Roeder's men were denied the celebration of a first league home victory by Jermaine Jenas's 81st-minute equaliser. But some joy at least. They were off the bottom of the Premiership.

If there was another question to be posed afterwards on the Bowyer affair, it was: why had he been signed in the first place? It was, shall we say, a quiet debut. Few opportunities to display his creative side, and not a chance that his more brutish face would be to the fore. However, having been on the sidelines with "Achilles trouble" it was scarcely surprising that West Ham's new No 5 should appear rusty.

Instead the eye was taken by Jenas and each club's little maestros, Newcastle's Craig Bellamy and West Ham's Joe Cole, who both scored, and with more composure might have added to that success.

There was a certain incongruity that the Bobby Moore Stand should stand testament yesterday to the introduction of Bowyer: the one lionised by all in football as representing everything good in the game, the Hammers' new signingdemonised by the majority of pundits. What would the faithful make of him? A "racist mercenary", as was suggested in some quarters? Or unsavoury saviour? In fact, the response when he first appeared for a warm-up, clapping gloved hands towards the fans, was subdued.

All week the signing has been denounced, with pious observations about the background, behaviour and attitudes of this bête claret and blue. Yet, the game and its values have changed radically since Moore's time. Unless Roeder was exaggerating – and you suspect he was not – close on half his Premiership counterparts were also intent on enticing Bowyer from Leeds. That says it all.

Whether West Ham's priority should have been the acquisition of another midfielder is debatable. They are already blessed with talented personnel in that area, and his inclusion in rightmidfield meant that Trevor Sinclair was moved to partner Jermain Defoe in attack.

Newcastle, whose manager Sir Bobby Robson has been quite perversely the recipient of intense criticism from some Toon supporters since the FA defeat at Wolverhampton – that's the same Bobby Robson who has raised the club from nowhere to fourth in the Premiership – was without the suspended Alan Shearer here. The former England captain was replaced by Shola Ameobi. At least on the credit side Robson could include Kieron Dyer, who had missed the last two games.

After a promising beginning by the Hammers, it was Ameobi who, after eight minutes, began the move to dampen the initial fervour. The striker turned Gary Breen on the right, and played the ball in for Jenas to touch on, and Bellamy turned cleverly before beating David James for his seventh goal of the season.

Thus far, Bowyer had been peripheral, but his manager had explained he had bought him because, "He has drive, desire and determination and I hope that rubs off on some of the other players here." It appeared to do so, since West Ham replied six minutes later. Newcastle have suffered all season from defensive frailties and again they made it easy for their hosts, their captain Cole taking advantage of a poor headed clearance from Aaron Hughes to skip wide of his marker and beat Shay Given at his near post.

The equaliser gave West Ham all the impetus they needed, but it was the visitors who always looked the more potent goalscorers. Ameobi nearly didwhen he burst clear, only for James to thwart him, while Bellamy was in inspirational mood, at times making Nigel Winterburn look all of his 39 years.

Yet, on the stroke of half-time it was Roeder's team who edged somewhat undeservedly into the lead. It was a splendid individual effort from Defoe, who, receiving a low cross from Steve Lomas, deceived Steven Caldwell before turning and lashing the ball across Given into the far corner. Newcastle could even have equalised before the interval, but James again proved equal to the threat, blocking from Clarence Acuña.

The Hammers began the second half with the same appetite that they had finished the first. Cole wasted a good early chance before Andrew Griffin was cautioned for foul on the young England midfielder. Winterburn came off, injured, to be replaced by Scott Minto and, for Newcastle, Acuña made way for Lomana Lua Lua. Both rearguards remained vulnerable, but neither attack could take advantage until, with nine minutes left, Jenas unleashed a vicious shot from outside the area which left James clutching at air as the ball curled just inside his right-hand post.

West Ham were not done yet. Bowyer found Defoe, but his final shot was straight at Given. Newcastle nearly had the last word, though, and it could have been worse for Roeder's team when Jenas was poised in front of goal. But to a great intake of breath, his shot was comfortably within James's grasp.

For Newcastle, some honour restored. For West Ham, something to build on. Their new signing had been largely anonymous, but perhaps in the circumstances that was for the best.