West Ham can always rely on Rovers to bring to an end a sticky run of results, and today at Upton Park it was no different as Mark Hughes' side slipped to a disappointing 2-1 defeat as their Euro-hopes took another battering.

It had started so well for Rovers when Roque Santa Cruz gave Rovers a 20th minute lead after a fine move involving David Bentley and Morten Gamst Pedersen, but six minutes before the interval Dean Ashton wriggled free of Chris Samba's clutches to level for the home side.

Rovers struggled to get any momentum going in the second half with the home side on top for long spells, but had Morten Gamst Pedersen not blazed over when twelve yards out on the hour it could have been a different afternoon for Rovers.

Nine minutes from time the inevitable happened, again it was Dean Ashton who caused the Rovers defence no end of problems, holding off Khizanishvili before slipping the ball through to substitute Freddie Sears. The 18-year-old saw his first effort saved by Friedel but the young forward was alert to head home the rebound.

The Boleyn Ground hasn't been a place for happy hunting for Rovers, the result means that it is now 14 years since Rovers last tasted victory in East London.

Before the game Mark Hughes made three changes from the side that drew against Fulham at Ewood Park seven days earlier. Brett Emerton returned to right-back after recovering from the groin injury that had forced the Australian to miss last week's encounter, Zurab Khizanishvili perhaps a little unfortunate to make way.

In midfield David Dunn, an unused substitute last week, replaced Tugay who dropped out of the sixteen-man squad, whilst Jason Roberts got the nod over Benni McCarthy to partner Roque Santa Cruz up front for his first start since mid-January.

The game started lively with early chances for both sides, Rovers were first to go close when Santa Cruz flicked on a Morten Gamst Pedersen corner kick, whilst at the other end a Nolberto Solano found Dean Ashton ghosting in round the back but fortunately for Rovers he couldn't connect.

Both sides continued to exchange chances, Christopher Samba headed narrowly over the bar from a David Bentley corner kick, whilst Solano almost found Ashton with a cross to the back post.

But as twenty minutes registered on the clock Rovers took the lead. Capitalising on an error from Scott Parker, David Bentley took full advantage to quickly switch the play over to the left to Morten Gamst Pedersen, the Norwegian delivered the perfect centre for Roque Santa Cruz and he swooped to glance the ball past Robert Green and into the back of the net.

Four minutes later and Rovers had Friedel to thank, again West Ham looked to attack through Solano on the right, his centre again found Dean Ashton who aimed a header towards the bottom corner, the American dived to tip the ball around the post although it may have been heading wide anyway.

Rovers continued to look the better side going forward but without creating any clear-cut chances and that proved to be costly as the home side levelled on 39 minutes with a direct attack after an un-necessary foul by David Dunn in West Ham's own half.

From the resulting free-kick Robert Green hit the ball long into the Rovers half, the ball was flicked on by Bobby Zamora which allowed Dean Ashton to get the better of Chris Samba before slipping the ball into the corner of the goal past the onrushing Friedel.

Rovers were forced into a change at the break with Brett Emerton not reappearing for the second half, his place taken by Zurab Khizanishvili, and that unsettled the defence in the opening fifteen minutes of the second half.

There were several nervy moments as Rovers looked decidedly rocky at the back, the twin strikeforce of Dean Ashton and Bobby Zamora proving to be a handful allied with the delivery of Solano, Mark Hughes' side had to work tirelessly.

But despite all the early pressure it was Rovers who should have retaken the lead just before the hour mark. A quickly taken throw from Andre Ooijer found Jason Roberts in the area with his back to goal, he held off Spector before delivering a low cross into the middle, Santa Cruz let it run to Pedersen, but in turning to shoot on his right foot the Norwegian fired high over the bar from twelve yards out.

But that Rovers attack was a rare one as more often than not it was the home side who continued to play the better football.

In an attempt to address the flow of the game, Rovers threw on Matt Derbyshire for David Dunn whilst West Ham also made changes, Mark Noble and Freddie Sears replacing Scott Parker and Nolberto Solano.

And it was the debutant Freddie Sears who dealt the decisive blow nine minutes from time. Once again Rovers gave up possession cheaply allowing the ball to be played up to Dean Ashton. The former Norwich front man showed great strength to hold off Khizanishvili before slipping the ball through to Sears, Brad Friedel saved his initial shot, but the rebound fell perfectly for the young forward allowing him to dive to head the ball into the back of the net.

A minute later and the lead was very nearly increased, Ashton again proving to be a real thorn in the Rovers back-line, burst through but blazed over with just Friedel to beat.

But then the home side had Robert Green to thank for keeping their lead in tact, pulling off a superb reflex save to deny Jason Roberts from close-range.

As the game entered its final stages there was even time for Matt Derbyshire to squander a golden opportunity to level, Rovers had men over on the left in the form of Roberts and Santa Cruz, but inexplicably the 21 year old passed the ball straight into the arms of Green.

So another trip to Upton Park ends in defeat for Rovers, will next season be the year that they finally win?

WEST HAM: Green, Neill, McCartney, Ferdinand, Ljungberg (sub Pantsil 88 mins), Parker (sub Noble 75 mins), Ashton, Solano (sub Sears 75 mins), Mullins, Spector, Zamora.

Subs not used: Wright (GK), Tomkins.

ROVERS: Friedel, Ooijer (c), Warnock, Samba, Emerton (sub Khizanishvili 46 mins), Santa Cruz, Bentley, Pedersen (sub McCarthy 90 mins), Reid, Dunn (sub Derbyshire 71 mins), Roberts.

Subs not used: Brown (GK), Mokoena.

Booked: Ferdinand (West Ham), Bentley, Dunn, Reid (Rovers).

Attendance: 34,006