Ground record for Beveree as Beavers push Hammers
10:28am Friday 18th July 2008
Hampton & Richmond Borough 2 (Quarm, 36; Yaku, 70) West Ham United 4 (Bellamy 37, 60; Noble, 44; Hines, 81)
Att: 3,118They came in their thousands to the MM Cox Beveree Stadium and were right royally entertained.
As promised, West Ham sent their first team squad for Hampton & Richmond Borough's opening friendly of the season and a record crowd for the ground was set at 3,118 (and there was still plenty of room inside!).
Both teams made extensive use of their squads and the Hammers sent out all the big guns to start the game, Rob Green, Anton Ferdinand, Craig Bellamy, Dean Ashton and Hayden Mullins.
Hampton took an early lead in an entertaining game and what a cracker of a goal it was scored by Francis Quarm.
Quarm's dipping volley beat England keeper Green all ends up and Quarm celebrated with a 50-yard dash.
West Ham equalised almost immediately when Craig Bellamy struck from 12 yards out.
Dean Ashton played like a typical England striker, three good chances but couldn't hit the target, however, his cushioned header just before half-time set up Mark Noble for their second.
Bellamy scored his second for West Ham to put the Premiership side up 3-1 in the 60th minute when he got on to the end of a through ball (obviously, he had slipped out of Dean Wells's handcuffs).
The Beavers got within one goal when a superb strike from Lawrence Yaku beat West Ham's substitute keeper James Walker in the 70th minute.
West Ham scored late on through Zavon Hines to give them a 4-2 win.
The Hammers did the Beavers proud, putting on an excellent display and the players, after the game, made themselves available for autograph signing especially for the hordes of youngsters at the ground.
TeamsHampton & Richmond Borough: Matt Lovett; Graham Harper, Ryan Lake, Orlando Jeffrey, John Scarborough, Dean Wells, Glenn Harris, Francis Quarm, Ian Hodges, Lawrence Yaku, Barrie Matthews.Subs: Shaun McAuley, Marcello Fernandes, Craig Tanner, Robbie Kember, Elliott Frost, Aaron Barnett, Elliott Braithwaite, Chris Robinson, Jack Francis, Chico Ramos.West Ham United: Rob Green; Lucas Neill, Joe Widdowson, Anton Ferdinand, Callum Davenport, Dean Ashton, Craig Bellamy, Kyel Reid, Mark Noble, Hayden Mullins, Julian Faubert.Subs: Tony Stokes, Junior Stanislaus, Scott Parker, Carlton Cole, Jack Collison, Bonz N'Gala, Jordan Spence, Ashley Miller, Zavon Hines, Jimmy Walker