Carlton Cole and Junior Stanislas both scored in the 2-1 defeat of Middlesbrough to round off the season in fine style and condemn Boro to relegation.

On a baking hot day in East London, the football looked a little leaden at times and there was very much an 'end of term' feel to proceedings despite the fact that the media had tried to buoy Boro's hopes of survival. In fact, the Teeside club and its fans had obviously already decided their fate, as there was none of the desperation and urgency usually associated with these matches and Boro only had a few hundred fans follow them down for their last hurrah.

Boro had carved out a couple of decent chances before West Ham scored, but once Cole had hit home after good work by Boa Morte and Illunga, the heads dropped and the Hammers comfortably saw out the half.

In an attempt to inject some urgency into the play, Gareth Southgate made a double substitution and five mintes after the restart, Boro were level after Tuncay had set up O'Neill to find the bottom corner. It was a bit frustrating for West Ham who had looked good for their lead but the parity only lasted eight minutes before Stanislas hit home from 25 yards with the Boro defenders retreating. Even so, Brad Jones probably should have held the ball but it slipped through his grasp and the Hammers were home and dry and Boro were all at sea although Jones made amends for his mistake later when diving at the feet of Dyer to deny the substitute a third goal.

It all ended in a whimper for Middlesbrough with the North East being badly hit as news filtered through that the Teesiders were about to be joined in the second tier of football by close rivals Newcastle. It only remained for Scott Parker to collect the Hammer of the Year Award from runner-up Rob Green bfore the Upton Park faithful were left to wend their way home for the last time in the 2008/09 campaign.

Most fans were happy with the standard of football that the stewardship of Zola has introduced and, though finishing away from the Euro place and below Spurs on goal difference, most supporters see the season in a positive light. Had goalscorer Cole not suffered injury over the last few months it seems likely that West Ham would have finished higher and, with Collison, Stanislas and Tomkins all looking good in the first team, the future looks encouraging.