Harewood sends Hammers to seventh heaven
West Ham 4 Aston Villa 0
Marlon Harewood fired the first Premiership hat-trick of the season to silence his critics and raise the roof at Upton Park and catapult West Ham into seventh place.
The powerful Hammers striker could have spent most of the season languishing on the bench if Czech international Milan Baros had not snubbed a move to West Ham in favour of Aston Villa.
But the Upton Park crowd were left chanting “Baros, what’s the score?” after Harewood had fired West Ham back to winning ways and repaid the faith shown in him by Alan Pardew.
He linked brilliantly with Teddy Sheringham for the first after 24 minutes and then touched home the second from Hayden Mullins’ header to give West Ham a 2-0 half-time lead.
Harewood smashed home his third from a Matthew Etherington cross just after the interval and was then given a standing ovation when he was replaced by Bobby Zamora with 10 minutes left.
Harewood had missed three golden chances in West Ham’s 2-1 defeat to Bolton but Pardew retained full confidence in the 26-year-old with the golden boots.
The West Ham boss returned from watching transfer target Benni McCarthy play in midweek and challenged Harewood and his colleagues to prove he does not need the South African international.
Tonight, Harewood stated his case as Baros and Villa boss David O’Leary were left scratching their heads long before Yossi Benayoun provided the crowning glory in injury time with his first goal in a West Ham shirt.
Villa had the best chance in an action-packed opening when Kevin Phillips stole in behind Danny Gabbidon and latched onto a long clearance from Thomas Sorensen on the edge of the Hammers box.
Anton Ferdinand closed him down – helped by a sly tug of the shirt – and as Phillips tried to find Baros, West Ham scrambled the ball clear.
But the Hammers, roared on by the home fans who had packed the pubs on Green Street before kick-off to enjoy England’s Ashes victory at The Oval, were enjoying the best of the possession and the best of the chances.
Sheringham was typically influential in his deep-lying role. Etherington and Tomas Repka both fired long-range efforts over before Benayoun drilled a shot low straight at Sorensen.
Harewood came within inches of latching onto Paul Konchesky’s low cross from the left but West Ham’s pressure finally paid dividends after 24 minutes.
Harewood linked expertly with Sheringham, spinning into space to receive a return ball and then charging into the box to slide his shot under Sorensen.
West Ham’s tails were up. Repka whipped in a cross from the right that forced Hughes to stoop and head over his own bar. Etherington picked out Mullins with the corner and Harewood poked the ball home from close range.
Harewood then had a confident shout for a penalty waved away by referee Andy d’Urso after Liam Ridgewell appeared to be holding him back in the box as he looked to turn and shoot.
Roy Carroll turned a low James Milner drive round the post and then just after half-time the on-loan midfielder struck the inside of the West Ham post with a cross.
The ball stayed out but fell invitingly for Phillips who could only fire his volley into the side netting.
But West Ham continued unperturbed and after 50 minutes Harewood got his third. Nigel Reo-Coker, the England Under-21 captain, was tugged back after getting the better of Ridgewell.
Sorensen came charging out and got nowhere near Etherington’s cross and the ball fell to Harewood unmarked at the far post to smash into an empty net.
Villa pressed in search of something but Anton Ferdinand and then Gabbidon cleared West Ham’s lines magnificently.
Baros stole into the box and was one-on-one with the ‘keeper but Carroll produced an excellent save.
West Ham were a kind bounce away from a fourth after Benayoun almost worked enough space for a shot.
But his effort, followed by those from Sheringham and Harewood were all deflected as Villa’s defence desperately scrambled the ball clear.
But West Ham were knocking the ball around confidently and final party piece came form Benayoun, who twisted and turned inside the Villa box and then fired his cross shot low into the bottom right corner.
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