Marlon Harewood silenced his critics with a superb hat-trick as
West Ham beat Aston Villa 4-0 at Upton Park.
Harewood has come under fire this term for missing chances in The
Hammers' opening games of the season, but he put to bed doubts over
his quality with a fine display against David O'Leary's side.
The 26-year-old netted a brace in the space of four first-half
minutes before going on to complete his hat-trick after
capitalising on a mistake from Thomas Sorensen after the
interval.
The icing was placed on the cake late on with Yossi Benayoun
capping a fine display with a neatly taken goal to give West Ham a
scalp over one of this season's European hopefuls.
The home side had the first effort of the game with Matthew
Etherington sending the ball over the bar from distance, while at
the other end Kevin Phillips almost had a sight of goal from
Sorensen's pass.
The Hammers continued to set the tone with Paul Konchesky testing
Sorensen with a long-range drive, while Benayoun should have done
better after Teddy Sheringham cleverly dummied Harewood's
pass.
Harewood was close to opening the scoring when he just missed
Konchesky's cross in the middle and Benayoun again fluffed his
lines with the rebound from the edge of the area.
Just when it looked like it might not be West Ham's night, Harewood
collected Sheringham's header and capitalised on Olof Mellberg's
slip by charging at Sorensen and slipping the ball past the Danish
keeper.
Villa had no time to regroup and found themselves two-down minutes
later when Harewood was Johnny on the spot to flick home Anton
Ferdinand's header from close range leaving Sorensen with no chance
of a save.
The home side felt they should have had a penalty when Liam
Ridgewell appeared to pull back Harewood in the area, but referee
Rob Styles played the advantage with the striker seeing his shot
deflected out for a corner.
Villa almost got their foot in the door before the half-time
interval, but Roy Carroll was on guard to deny James Milner with a
save away down to his left from a drive from the on-loan
winger.
The visitors were inches from pulling one back moments after the
re-start, with Carroll misjudging Milner's cross and the ball
struck the far post before rolling along the line and then striking
the near post.
The rebound fell to Phillips, but the summer signing from
Southampton snatched at the shot and drilled the effort wide of
goal from close range.
A woeful goalkeeping error from Sorensen gifted Harewood the chance
to complete his hat-trick and the former Nottingham Forest man made
no mistake at the back post.
Etherington's right wing free kick was completely missed by
Sorensen in the middle and Harewood gratefully collected the ball
and rifled home with Villa's defence all at sea.
Gavin McCann was close to finding the back of the net with a
well-struck volley from the edge of the area, but Hayden Mullins
was on hand in front of goal to head over.
Villa continued to create the better of the chances but after Baros
got in behind Danny Gabbidon the Czech Republic ace could only hit
Carroll in The Hammers' goal.
West Ham were close to getting a fourth late on, however Sheringham
just could not find that extra gear to latch onto substitute Bobby
Zamora's cross from close range.
The home side did secure a fourth in the closing stages that
included composure and a clinical finish from new signing
Benayoun.
Sheringham found the Israel international with a superb
through-ball and the former Racing Santander man turned Aaron
Hughes inside out before lashing home past Sorensen.
The win moves West Ham ahead of Middlesbrough into seventh in The
Premiership, while Aston Villa slip below Blackburn Rovers on goal
difference.
LOL deathy 4-0 man...Harewood - baros 3-0.. 
