West Ham 5 Burnley 3

West Ham started with Gabbidon in for the injured Upson and Ilunga back at left back. Kovac and Parker started in midfield with Franco once again partnering Cole up front.

Burnley started the brighter of the two sides and forced a succession of early corners and in the 5th minute Bikey forced Green to save at his near post with a shot from 8 yards. Four minutes later and Parker was forced to clear off the line from a seven yard header.

In the 17th minute Parker was fouled just inside the Burnley half. Parker quickly took the freekick, catching the Burnley defence napping and sending Collison free. Collison brought the box into the penalty area and calmly slotted the ball home from 10 yards.

In the 33rd minute Franco played a neat ball inside the defence from the edge of the penalty area to Stanilas. Stanilas only had to beat the keeper from seven yards but his shot hit Jensen in goal. The ball rebounded out to Stanilas and from a tighter angle Stanilas slotted home West Ham's second.

In the 41st minute West Ham made it 3-0. Collison disected the defence with a lovely pass for Spector. Spector charged into the penalty area and was pulled down. The ref gave the penalty and from the spot Cole side footed the ball home.

Cole was taken off at half-time and replaced with Hines. In the 50th minute West Ham won a freekick on the right wing. Stanilas fired in the freekick and Franco got his head to the ball to get West Ham's fourth goal from seven yards.

In the 59th minute Jimenez replaced Franco. Three minutes later and Parker passed to Jimenez in the box, Jimenez just got to the ball before Jensen who then took Jimenez down for another West Ham penalty. Jimenez scored from the spot.

With five goals in the bag West Ham should have then coasted home but Jimenez and Hines up front were unable to keep the ball as well as Franco and Cole had done and the rest of the half largely belonged to Burnley.

In the 67th minute Eagles crossed from the left of the area low across the goal and Fletcher ran in on the far post and slotted home from 5 yards out. In the 74th minute Eagles and Fletcher combined again in a similar fashion to make it 5-2.

In the 86th minute Hines was taken down in the Burnley area but this time the ref didn't give the penalty. However in the 91st minute Hines and Caldwell both found themselves chasing down a long ball forward and Caldwell took down Hines just outside the Burnley area. Caldwell was sent off. Stanilas then fired the freekick into the wall.

In the 94th minute Eagles got Burnley's third when he slotted home a cross from the right wing by Mears from seven yards.


So in the end what should have been an easy win for West Ham was a little nervy in the second half, but a win is a win, and this was a must win.