Chesterfield 2 West Ham 1

West Ham started with McCartney at left back and Reid on the left wing. Dailly, Mullins and Reo-Coker made up the rest of the midfield and Zamora and Harewood were picked up front.

Another new line up from Pardew again resulted in a West Ham side being completely at sea. In fact the first half was embarrassing to watch for West Ham fans as they saw their side outplayed by Chesterfield. The home side won six corners to West Ham's none and had about six shots compared to West Ham's one. Luckily for the Hammers their one shot, was a superb volley from Harewood from just outside the area, in the fourth minute which gave the visitors an early lead.

Chesterfield showed their attacking intent as early as the 2nd minute, when they eased through a static West Ham defence, only for Larkin's shot from eight yards to be well saved by Green. Larkin had another shot in the 25th minute, this time from just outside the area, which just flew over the bar. A minute later Allott, running onto a cross, shot way over the bar. In the 36th minute Niven flufffed a shot from the edge of the area that sailed well wide and then in the dying seconds of the first half Allen's shot from just inside the area was blocked by Ferdinand.

West Ham therefore ended the half with an undeserved lead and Chesterfield ruing their bad luck in front of goal.

West Ham started the second half as they played in the first, ie bloody terribly. Chesterfield's pressure soon bore fruit when in the 53rd minute Folan ghosted past Gabbidon as if he wasn't there. His shot was superbly saved by Green but the rebound fell to Larkin who drilled the ball home for Chesterfield's equaliser.

Pardew changed the side around by replacing Harewood with Sheringham, Reid with Etherington and McCartney with Konchesky. But the changes made little difference as Chesterfield continued to play the better football. In the 70th minute Hurst shot from outside the box and Green fumbled the shot to give Chesterfield another corner.

Zamora had a couple of chances. One from a Konchesky cross in the 72nd minute, which Zamora did well to chest down, but his volleyed shot from six yards just flew over the bar. Then in the 83rd minute Sheringham put Zamora clean through but Zamora's shot from just inside the area was deflected wide by the keeper's leg.

However it was the West Ham goal that remained under the most threat and Chesterfield got their deserved winner when a Sheringham header from a freekick hit the back of Ferdinand and Folan drilled the ball home from five yards.

Supporting West Ham I've seen us lose to lower league oppostion a number of times but I can't remember many more abject performances than this.