CARLTON COLE fires West Ham back to EPL

Nigerian-born striker Carlton Cole scored one of the goals to lift West Ham back to the English Premier League ahead of Blackpool. West Ham beat Blackpool 2-1 in an English Championship play-off final Saturday to make a return to the English top flight after a season in the lower division.Cole, whose father is Nigerian and has twice been called up by the Super Eagles, put West Ham ahead in the first half before Vaz Te's late strike off Carlton Cole's shot rebound fired the Hammers back to the Barclays Premier League. Portuguese winger Te, a bargain £500,000 January signing from Barnsley,earned the Hammers an estimated £90million windfall with the goal which sank Blackpool. Manager Sam Allardyce vowed to take West Ham back to what he calls ‘The Promised Land’ at the first attempt following last season's relegation, and he was as good as his word as his side saw off Ian Holloway's play-off specialists.