EVEN against teams whose technique is obviously better than your own, the manner of defeat can be surprisingly small. In this case Stoke lost because of one bad tackle.

How ironic that it was a bad tackle from the player who gave the most outstanding by any of the 22 who started this game, Abdoulaye Faye.

His two footed lunge outside the penalty box gave the Hammers a direct free kick which Tristan netted with aplomb.

And the lift that superb strike gave West Ham brought about the most incisive period of football by either team in the run up to half time. They could have gone in two or three ahead.

Before that goal, Stoke harried the visitors effectively and denied them a clear shot on goal for half an hour.

In fact they often forced them to play the ball 60 to 80 yards backwards to keep possession.

After half time it was a pretty even match and Stoke could have nicked a draw against one of the best footballing teams I’ve seen at the Brit this season.

West Ham were not clinical finishers in the way the Manchester United are, but the way they moved that ball and had Stoke chasing shadows was impressive as much as it was frustrating to watch as a fan.

Last week's opponents Fulham and West Ham are better teams than Hull City, who we visit at the weekend and against whom Stoke are capable of getting a result.

Effective though they have been, Rory’s Rockets now seem to be something that visiting defences are prepared for.

No Tottenham-style panicking, they pick either a defender (Ryan Nelsen in Blackburn’s case) or goalie, Robert Green yesterday, to head them clear and tell everyone else to get out of the way.

Because Delap takes a run up almost as long as Bob Willis in the 1981 Ashes Series, there is no surprise element.

We might be better actually taking a quick short throw and putting the ball in at an angel defences don’t expect.

West Ham’s skill and speed were effective weapons even a defence which has stood up well to less subtle forward lines – perhaps we should learn the lesson.