Five alive

  • by Matthew O'Greel
  • Saturday, 10th November 2007

West Ham's five goal haul within just 27 minutes at Derby today has been bettered just once in recent history.

Alan Curbishley's side scored all of today's goals between the 42nd and 69th minute - making it the fifth quickest five-goal haul in modern Hammers history*.

But that statistic has only been bettered once away from home in the last 50 years - back in 1967 when United scored five goals in just 13 MINUTES against Sunderland at Roker Park.

With the help of a number of old textbooks and modern day internet whizzbang we've complied the Top 10 quickest five goal hauls from the last 50 years. How many of these can you remember?

West Ham United - quickest five goal hauls

1. Sunderland 1 West Ham Utd 5
9th September 1967
League Division 1

Sunderland went into this game unbeaten and were looking good to extend their run when leading 1-0 after an hour's play (thanks to Bobby Moore's 12th minute own goal). But an incredible 13 minute blitz from the Hammers - with goals from Martin Peters (60 mins), Harry Redknapp (63), Bobby Moore (76) and a Geoff Hurst brace (61, 75) guaranteed only their second win of the season.

Time to score five goals: 13 minutes

2. West Ham Utd 10 Bury 0
25th October 1983
Milk Cup 2nd Round (2nd leg)

It was a game that broke a whole bunch of records but wasn't quite good enough to top this particular poll. Ten goals were scored overall but the shortest period for scoring five on the night came when Tony Cottee added his fourth on the night on 63 minutes, followed by an Alan Devonshire brace (67, 81) and goals from Ray Stewart (71) and Trevor Brooking (83).

Time to score five goals: 18 minutes

3. West Ham Utd 6 WBA 1
16th April 1965
League Division 1

This was the now famous Brian Dear show when the former Hammers hitman notched five for himself within the space of just 20 minutes. Dear opened his tally a minute before half-time before adding goals in the 53rd, 56th, 59th and 64th minutes. Those of you with particularly good memories may recall that Martin Peters opened the scoring on the half-hour mark with a certain Jeff Astle scoring the Baggies' consolation goal on the stroke of half-time.

Time to score five goals: 20 minutes

4. West Ham Utd 7 Fulham 2
3rd February 1968
League Division 1

East met West but there was to be only one winner in this derby goal-fest. Once again Brian Dear was involved scoring West Ham's first after 30 minutes to cancel out Steve Earle's 18th minute effort for a Fuham side featuring the legendary Johnny Haynes. Trevor Brooking scored twice in a minute (42 and 43 mins) to put the Hammers 3-1 up at half-time, before Bobby Moore (49), Geoff Hurst (54) and Martin Peters (63) put the game beyond any doubt. Clarke pulled one back for the vistors on 69 minutes before Geoff Hurst completed the rout twelve minutes from time with his second of the day.

Time to score five goals: 24 minutes

5. Derby County 0 West Ham Utd 5
10th November 2007
Premier League

The rout began when Lee Bowyer opened the scoring for the Hammers on 42 minutes. Goals from Matthew Etherington (50 minutes), Jonathan Spector (54 minutes), Nobby Solano (69 minutes) and another for Bowyer (47 minutes) saw the Hammers hit five in just 27 minutes - the first time anything like that had been done away from home in 40 years.

Time to score five goals: 27 minutes

6. West Ham Utd 5 Newcastle 0
24th March 1979
League Division 2

Alan Devonshire opened the scoring twenty minutes into the game before Keith Robson made it 2-0 just two minutes later. Frank Lampard extended United's lead on 37 minutes before John McDowell scored either side of the break (37 and 50 mins) to see off the challenge of Newcastle. West Ham were to eventually finish fifth in the table, just four places ahead of Newcastle.

Time to score five goals: 30 minutes

=7. West Ham Utd 6 Leicester City 2
21st September 1974
League Division 1

The newly promoted John Lyall saw his team get off to a terrible start after Frank Worthington dived to win - and convert - a 10th minute penalty. But in order to prove that cheats never prosper United went on the offensive and buried their opponents with six goals in just 44 minutes. Bobby Jennnings levelled the scores on 24 minutes before Billy Bonds and Bobby Gould pounced to make it 3-1 at the break. Jennings added a fourth on 50 minutes before Gould scored his second of the game six minutes later. New signing Keith Robson made it six on 68 minutes before an almost embarrassed Worthington scored his second of the day a minute from time.

Time to score five goals: 32 minutes

=7. West Ham Utd 6 Workington 0
16th December 1963
League Cup Quarter Final

Rank outsiders Workington were still a league club (albeit Division 4) when they came to Upton Park a week before Christmas 1963. They never threatened to upset the applecart as the Hammers went on the rampage, scoring six goals in just 40 minutes. A Budgie Byrne hat-trick (12, 41 and 52 mins) was accompanied by goals from Ronnie Boyce (20), Geoff Hurst (38) and a rare strike from winger Tony Scott (50). United went on to lose the semi-final against Leicester 6-3 on aggregate.

Time to score five goals: 32 minutes

9. West Ham Utd 5 MK Dons 0
9th March 2004
Football League Championship

The Dons were already on the rack prior to this game but the Hammers well and truly rubbed salt into the wound with a comprehensive victory. A Matthew Etherington hat-trick both started and ended the goal-fest (37, 49 and 70 mins) whilst Bobby Zamora (39 mins) and Nigel Reo-Coker (62 mins) also joined in the fun.

Time to score five goals: 33 minutes

=10. Chelsea 5 West Ham Utd 5
17th December 1966
League Division 1

Possibly one of the craziest games of all time. West Ham took a two goal lead through Peter Brabrook (24 mins) and Martin Peters (29) before Chelsea went 3-2 up after scoring three times in 14 minutes. Not to be outdone United scored three in five - Johnny Sissons (55, 58) and Budgie Byrne (60, pen) before Chelsea snatched an improbable point thanks to a late brace from Bobby Tambling.

Time to score five goals: 36 minutes

=10. West Ham Utd 8 Sunderland 0
19th October 1968
League Division 1

Geoff Hurst scored his first of a record-breaking six goal haul after 18 minutes before adding strikes in the 34th, 44th, 48th, 61st and 71st minutes. In between Bobby Moore scored on 26 minutes whilst Trevor Brooking notched on 62 minutes to give the Hammers a record home league win.

Time to score five goals: 36 minutes

* In the last 50 years.

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