Burnley Hammered in goal-fest

West Ham secured a vital win at home to Burnley in a remarkable 5-3 goal-fest at Upton Park.

The Hammers were cruising at one point after going 5-0 up, but Owen Coyle's Clarets kept fighting right to the end and pulled three goals back in the last 25 minutes.

It was not a good day for either defence in East London, as Jack Collison opened the scoring on 18 minutes as Burnley went to sleep, and the same happened just after the half-hour mark as Junior Stanislas doubled the lead.

Carlton Cole added a penalty two minutes before half time after Robbie Blake brought down Jonathan Spector, before Guillermo Franco and another penalty from Luis Jimenez put the result beyond doubt.

But two well-worked goals from Steven Fletcher and an injury time strike from Chris Eagles ensured it was not all easy going for the home side, although Steven Caldwell was sent off in the dying moments for a tug on Zavon Hines.

The visitors had actually started well and West Ham looked nervy at the back as England keeper Robert Green spilled a near-post strike from Andre Bikey and Eagles, the former Manchester United trainee, whipped over a cross from the right which flew through the six-yard box.

The Clarets - who have won five times at Turf Moor, including victory over

Manchester United - almost took the lead on nine minutes when Clarke Carlisle's downward header from a corner was cleared off the line by Scott Parker.

West Ham were then denied by the woodwork after Franco's header from Collison's cross came off the top of the bar, and eventually took the lead on 18 minutes.

Caught cold
Parker's quickly-taken free-kick caught the Burnley defence cold as Collison beat a static offside trap to run clean through and slot past Brian Jensen.

Before Burnley could recover, West Ham doubled their lead on 34 minutes as the busy Franco slipped a reserve pass through to Stanislas on the right.

The England Under 21 winger looked to have missed his opportunity when Jensen made a smart save at his near post - only for the Burnley keeper to get his angles all wrong from the rebound, as Stanislas guided the ball inside the far post.

West Ham had a penalty just before the break when Jonathan Spector charged on to Radoslav Kovac's pass and into the right side of the area, before being brought down by Robbie Blake.

Cole - still limping after needing treatment for a foot injury - stepped up to drill in the spot-kick for his seventh goal of the season.

The England striker, who had just come back from injury, was replaced by youngster Hines for the start of the second half, with West Ham making it 4-0 on 50 minutes.


Fourth goal
Stanislas whipped a free-kick from the right across the six-yard box, where

Franco got in front of the Burnley defenders to head home.

Burnley substitute David Nugent missed two golden chances in quick succession to pull a goal back for the visitors, before referee Chris Foy pointed to the spot once again after Chile forward Jimenez was brought down by Jensen as he dashed into the right side of the penalty area.

Jimenez, on loan from Inter Milan, stepped up to take the spot-kick himself, and lashed it into the right corner for his first West Ham goal.

To their credit, Burnley kept going - and at least had something to show when

Fletcher netted a late double, both after good work from Eagles, whose long-range free-kick then struck the post.

Burnley, though, finished with 10 men when, in stoppage time, Caldwell was shown a straight red for pulling down Hines, before Eagles netted a third.