GREIGHT DAY FOR LEEDS!
1 Leeds 5 Hasselbaink 1 A Smith 45 Harte 62 pen Bowyer 78 Haaland 79 PL, May 1, 1999 Att: 25,997
Di Canio 48
WEST HAM ended up with only EIGHT players on the pitch at Upton Park at the final whistle against Leeds.
Ian Wright was one of three Hammers who saw red in a crazy match as David O’Leary’s team helped themselves to three points that guaranteed European football for Leeds the following season.
They took the lead after only 20 seconds when Dutch striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink found the bottom corner of the net.
Wright went into referee Rob Harris’ notebook after seven minutes following a clash with Alfie Haaland – and was shown a red card with only 15 minutes gone.
Replays showed Wright (below) had taken a blow to the face during the altercation with Ian Harte and was incensed by the referee’s decision to dismiss him.
Team-mate Trevor Sinclair had to dissuade him from confronting Harris and ushered him off the pitch.
West Ham more than matched Leeds for the rest of the half – until the dying seconds. Harry Kewell was able to get to the byline and tee up Alan Smith for a simple finish.
Hammers fans and players were furious and the police had to escort the referee off the pitch at half-time.
West Ham boss Harry Redknapp sent his 10 players out for the second half up for the challenge and halved the deficit three minutes after the restart, Paolo Di Canio steering home.
But hopes of a Hammers fightback were dealt a shattering blow in the 62nd minute. Keeper Shaka Hislop was sent off for bringing down Hasselbaink and sub keeper Craig Forrest guessed wrong from the spotkick, Harte finding the top corner.
There was worse to come for the home side, now down to nine men.
Lee Bowyer had time to pick his spot from the edge of the area for 4-1 after 78 minutes and a minute later, Haaland scored with an angled shot.
At 5-1, it got worse – Steve Lomas became the third player sent off.