Bellamy out to lift away blues

CRAIG BELLAMY returns to former employers West Ham United on Sunday with a mission to help Manchester City banish their away-day blues.

City head for London without a win in eight competitive matches on the road, their last success coming three months ago against Germany side Schalke.

Wales international Bellamy overcame personal grief to score both goals in the 2-1 win over FC Copenhagen — they won 4-3 on aggregate — which clinched City’s place in the last-16 of the UEFA Cup.

Bellamy, who has scored four goals in seven appearances for City following his big-money move from the Hammers last month, almost didn’t play last night after the death the previous day of his cousin and close friend James Reardon at the age of 27.

“It was a hard day for me and my family and I dedicated my two goals to him,” explained Bellamy, who looked to the sky after scoring his first.

City manager Mark Hughes thought Bellamy showed character and mental strength to play after losing a close member of his family.

Hughes said: “It was touch and go whether he felt in the right frame of mind to play, but he wanted to play and we benefited from that.

“He has come through under difficult circumstances and made the impact that he hoped he would.”

Hughes reckons Bellamy has improved another two or three levels since the forward worked under the City chief at Blackburn Rovers.

Bellamy had already been denied by the upright before he broke the deadlock in the 73rd minute after he brushed aside a challenge from Mathias Jorgensen.

Robinho, who also struck a post, set up Bellamy’s second seven minutes later, cutting the ball back from the left by line for the Welshman to convert.

Substitute Martin Vingaard pulled a goal back for FC Copenhagen in the third minute of stoppage time, but it was too little, too late.

Hughes believes City are heading in the right direction after draws at FC Copenhagen and Liverpool.

He said: “We have had a lot of criticism this season, and rightly so on occasions, about our away performances.

“But I think the manner of our performance at Liverpool will give us confidence at West Ham.

“You need a different mentality when you go away. On occasions we have played like a home side at an away ground and that has come back to bite us on the backside.”


CITY are the only British side still in the UEFA Cup after defeats for Tottenham and Aston Villa last night.