Retro game of the week

Wednesday, 09/11/2011

by Ger McCarthy

Date: March 4, 2007
Venue: Upton Park, London
Attendance: 34,966
Competition: Premier League
Final Score: West Ham 3 Tottenham 4

London derbies between West Ham and Spurs are always feisty affairs with the dislike between both sets of supporters instantly evident whenever two of the oldest English league football clubs get together.

One fixture between the clubs from the 2006-07 season is up there with the most exciting and controversial of recent meetings as Martin Jol took his attacking Spurs side to Upton Park to face a West Ham team without a Premier League win in ten attempts.

Having dispensed with the services of previous incumbent Alan Pardew back in December 2006, new manager Alan Curbishley fought a season-long battle against relegation.

The Hammers eventually managed to avoid the drop on a dramatic final weekend in which Carlos Tevez scored the only goal in a shock 1-0 victory away to Champions Manchester United at Old Trafford.

West Ham stayed up, just, yet their 2007 season will always overshadowed by the FA probe into the transfer deals that brought Tevez and his compatriot Javier Mascherano to Upton Park.

Despite their lowly league position, West Ham possessed plenty of emerging English talent including goalkeeper Robert Green, centre-halves Matthew Upson and Anton Ferdinand and newcomer in midfield Mark Noble. Hopes were high amongst the Hammers faithful of a much-needed derby victory for the visit of Tottenham despite a 4-0 drubbing away to Charlton the previous week.

Spurs were backboned by England's Paul Robinson in goal, newcomer Michael Dawson in defence and the free-scoring attacking duo of Jermain Defoe and Dimitar Berbatov. Tottenham enjoyed a decent season eventually finishing fifth and qualified for the UEFA Cup although their erratic away form cost the North London club a chance of overtaking Arsenal for a Champions League berth.

The March 7 Premier League encounter kicked off at a frenetic pace in front of nearly 35,000 fans jammed into Upton Park with Robert Green and Paul Robinson each called into action in the opening exchanges.

The home side lost the services of Matthew Upson to a recurring injury before Mark Noble broke the deadlock on the quarter hour mark. Carlos Tevez gained possession and neatly laid the ball into the path of the in-rushing Noble who arrowed a terrific shot home for his first Premier League goal.

Spurs responded immediately forcing Green into two excellent saves in as many minutes. The visitors enjoyed the majority of possession before falling 2-0 behind minutes from the interval courtesy of a moment of magic from Carlos Tevez.

West Ham were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the penalty box when the Argentinian was brought down by Dawson. Tevez took the ensuing dead ball and curled a majestic effort into the top corner beyond the diving grasp of Robinson. It was a marvelous effort and the diminutive striker celebrated wildly by ripping his shirt off before being engulfed by the home supporters.

Tottenham came out for the second half all guns blazing and reduced the deficit five minutes after the re-start. Lee Bowyer’s rash challenge on Aaron Lennon resulted in the award of a penalty from Mike Dean and Defoe made no mistake from 12 yards out.

Martin Jol introduced Canadian Paul Stalteri shortly afterwards and the full-back would have a pivotal role in the outcome of a breathless encounter. Spurs' comeback was complete on the hour when Finland's Teemu Tainio made it 2-2 following a Lennon flick-on. A cracking London derby moved up a gear following that fourth goal with each side attacking at the earliest opportunity.

Etherington and Blanco each went close for West Ham United as a pulsating game entered its final quarter. Former Tottenham striker Bobby Zamora came on and took the roof off Upton Park by scoring against his old club with just five minutes left. Zamora met a Tevez free-kick with a thumping header to make it 3-2 and the home side looked set for a first league win in eleven attempts.

Spurs were nothing if not resilient under Jol and went straight back up the pitch from the re-start to force a free-kick on the edge of the ‘D’ after Ferdinand had leveled Adel Taarabt. Berbatov underlined his class with a similar dead ball effort to Tevez’s earlier goal and curled a delicious shot into the net to send the travelling supporters into a frenzy of delight.

With only 60 seconds remaining Tottenham appeared to have grabbed a point from the jaws of defeat but there was still time for one final twist in this unforgettable London derby.

The fourth minute of injury time had elapsed when Lee Young-Pyo won possession from Zamora deep in Spurs territory. Stalteri fed Defoe who galloped towards the West Ham goal and forced Green into a save.

Stalteri had continued his run however and was on hand to tap home to win it 4-3 for a jubilant Spurs. West Ham manager Alan Curbishley could only look on in frustration and fling his water bottle in the air at the end of an epic battle.

West Ham: Green, Neill, Upson, Ferdinand, Konchesky, Bowyer, Noble, Quashie, Blanco, Etherington, Tevez, Harewood. Substitutes: Walker, Spector, Davenport, Blanco and Zamora.

Tottenham: Robinson, Chimbonda, Dawson, Gardner, Young-Pyo Lee, Lennon, Jenas, Tainio, Ghaly, Defoe, Berbatov. Substitutes: Cerny, Rocha, Taarabt, Stalteri and Huddlestone.

Referee: Mike Dean.

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