I wasn't in particularly good humour as I approached this game and I was in even less of one after. I've long maintained that the football season starts too early and goes on too long and this game in particular - a red-blooded local derby guaranteed to warm the cockles on a cold autumn or winter day - was not aided by being played on a baking hot Sunday lunchtime when the attention of most sensible people should have been on Steve Harmison bearing down from the Vauxhall End rather than Cole peppering the Sir Trevor Brooking Stand.

To be fair though, both teams seemed undeterred by the soporific heat in a lively affair that produced plenty of action and good approach play. In the first half, West Ham had, perhaps, the better chances even though Ledley King bounced a header off the bar after 30 minutes and Modric brought a smart save from Green. Cole looked dangerous throughout and must have impressed the watching England manager as he volleyed over early on and just failed to get a touch to a Stanislas cross just before half time. In-between, Parker had seen a long volley scrambled away by Cudicini while both Collison and Cole had good shots blocked as the play swung from end to end.

Just after half-time though, West Ham were ahead - and what a goal it was; Carlton Cole collecting the ball 25 yards out, lifting it with his right leg before turning and volleying in with his left. With the crowd roaring the Hammers on it looked as if the home side would break their dreadful duck against former manager, Harry Redknapp, having failed to beat any of their former bosses' teams since he was sacked in 2001.

There is always a chance that former players will come back to haunt the Hammers though and this was highlighted with relish just five minutes after Cole had put the Hammers ahead. Barely 10 yards from the half-way line and under no pressure, Carlton Cole elected to go from hero to villain as he decided to back pass the ball and put it into the path of former Hammer Jermain Defoe who gleefully volleyed home.

Now when I say 'back pass' that seems to indicate a sudden rush to the head or a panic decision, but such was the size of the 'pass' it almost seemed as if Cole suddenly believed that Defoe still wore the claret and blue of his own side or, perhaps, he imagined the white shirt was that of England but, whatever flashed through his head, Cole's pass looked almost like a defence splitting ball so superbly did it lay everything on a plate for the Tottenham striker.

Cole lay on the pitch as Spurs celebrated barely able to comprehend what he had done. A bizarre moment and, sadly for Cole, a turning point in the match as West Ham never looked as comfortable from then on.

Modric went very close straight after from a header that looked to be going in, before Cole tried to make amends by cutting inside and hitting just wide. However, it was probably a foul on Jiminez just inside the box that brought a loud penalty appeal, when West Ham looked to have their best chance of regaining the advantage, although Spurs will probably point to a refused shout of their own when Defoe went down following a Faubert challenge.

Spurs wrapped up the points 11 minutes from the end when Aaron Lennon cut in and, seeing Jonathan Spector lose his footing when seeming to have the situation covered, was able to gain enough space to unleash a shot that flew into the far corner to send the away fans wild.

An extremely disappointing result; not least because of the self-inflicted element and the fact that it was against the the Hammer's biggest rivals. The blazing sun and the feeling that this time may have been better spent elsewhere refused to go away. Still, nice to know that Steve Harmison did his job well...