BBC SPORT | ENGLISH PREMIERSHIP | Blackburn thrash West Ham

Blackburn 7-1 West Ham

For the second Premiership match in a row West Ham were on the receiving end of a comprehensive away defeat, following up their 5-0 loss at Everton with a 7-1 defeat by Blackburn.

The hosts raced into a 3-0 lead through goals from Garry Flitcroft, David Dunn, and Damien Johnson.

West Ham managed to pull one back through Michael Carrick before the break, and they had the better of the opening exchanges in the second half.

Goal rush

18 mins - Garry Flitcroft heads the opener

27 mins - David Dunn's curler makes it 2-0

28 mins - Damien Johnson makes it 3-0 from a yard

39 mins - Michael Carrick on target for Hammers

63 mins - Grant McCann scores own goal

80 mins - Tugay 20-yarder makes it 5-1

82 mins - Matt Jansen collects Blackburn's sixth

90 mins - Craig Hignett wraps up 7-1 romp

However, they then had Tomas Repka sent off and Blackburn added to their tally though a Grant McCann own goal and strikes from Tugay, Matt Jansen and Craig Hignett.

There was an element of luck in Blackburn's opener, with Flitcroft fortunate not to be pulled up for offside when the ball was initially played forward.

Seconds later Flitcroft won it back and fed Corrado Grabbi, who conjured time and space on the edge of the area before spotting Flitcroft's run and floating a delightful pass into the area.

The Blackburn captain met it with his head 10 yards out and looped it into the far corner.

The hosts doubled their lead after 25 minutes when Dunn was allowed too much time 20 yards out and curled a cracking effort over the despairing Hislop.

Matt Jansen floors the visitors' Christian Dailly
And they went three up within two minutes when Tugay whipped a cross onto the head of Grabbi, and the Italian nodded the ball back for Johnson to thump it home from all of a yard.

The Hammers pulled a goal back before the break when Carrick curled the ball home with the aid of a slight deflection, and they should have scored a second four minutes after the re-start.

Paolo Di Canio placed a free-kick on to the head of the unmarked Trevor Sinclair, but the England hopeful somehow put his header wide from four yards out.

The Hammers had rung the changes at the break, bringing on Hayden Foxe and Grant McCann for Christian Dailly and John Moncur, and they began to enjoy much more possession.

Paolo Di Canio hitches a ride on Lucas Neill
Frederic Kanoute powered a header straight at Brad Friedel, but on the hour mark the Londoners' chances were dealt a hammer blow as Repka was sent off after picking up his second yellow card.

It was the Czech international's second dismissal in just three games for West Ham, and within a minute Rovers stretched their lead.

Tugay swung the ball into the far post where the hapless McCann sliced it into his own net, and the Turkish international got on the scoresheet himself with a swerving 20-yard drive 10 minutes from time.

Jansen cracked home the sixth a minute later after Hislop had failed to hold a fierce shot from the impressive Dunn, and Hignett made it 7-1 late on.

Blackburn: Friedel, Neill, Berg, Johansson, Bjornebye, Johnson, Flitcroft, Tugay, Dunn, Jansen, Grabbi. Subs: Short, Hughes, Hignett, Mahon, Kelly.

West Ham: Hislop, Schemmel, Dailly, Repka, Soma, Sinclair, Hutchison, Carrick, Moncur, Kanoute, Di Canio. Subs: Foxe, Kitson, Defoe, McCann, Bywater.

Referee: A D'Urso (Billericay)


	^^ Back to top
	Front Page \| Football \| Cricket \| Rugby Union \| Rugby League \| Tennis \| Golf \| Motorsport \| Boxing \| Athletics \| Other Sports \| Sports Talk \| In Depth \| Photo Galleries \| Audio/Video \| TV & Radio \| BBC Pundits \| Question of Sport \| Funny Old Game ------------------------------------------------------------ BBC News >> \| BBC Weather >> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- © MMII\|News Sources\|Privacy