Source: Daily_Mail
West Ham 3 Millwall 1 (AET): That's the worst I've seen, says Gianfranco Zola
Shaken West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola said it all: ‘I’ve been involved in difficult games and things happened. Here, I’ve played seven years and I’ve never seen it like this. It’s certainly not good for football. I was completely shocked. Totally.’
And I would have to agree.
The West Ham United steward who looked out on to the madness said: ‘They’re animals. Hooligans. Scum.’ And he was right. It was like a scene from a horror film.
One man described the scene outside as ‘a war zone’. Another saw his father taken away on a stretcher after being hit by a dart. Others wondered how they were going to get their kids out unscathed.
West Ham
West Ham beat London neighbours Millwall in a match that was marred by crowd trouble and pitch invasions
But the match had started, ironically, with two examples of bravery and compassion. Jack Collison elected to play for West Ham two days after his father Ian had been killed in a motorcycle accident on his way to watch his son play against Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League.
His team-mates wore black armbands as a mark of respect while the fans gave him a rousing reception.
And Zola, in his programme notes, had expressed his sympathy for his defender Calum Davenport who had been stabbed on Saturday in the first episode to shake the club in the past five days.
There were also, unfortunately, suggestions that England striker Carlton Cole was racially abused and he was substituted with 10 minutes to go.
But what of the match that, in reality, has now lost its significance?
West Ham
Players surround West Ham's Jack Collison at Upton Park
Millwall went ahead in the 26th minute through Neil Harris, the club’s record striker poking the ball past Robert Green after a poor headed clearance from Danny Gabbidon following a long throw-in from Scott Barron.
The Lions refused to sit deep in the second half and held on to their lead until the 87th minute when Junior Stanislas equalised for West Ham.
It was the 19-year-old’s first goal of the season, a left-foot short-range effort from a Frank Nouble cross and sparked the first pitch invasion by West Ham fans.
West Ham
Fans flooded onto the pitch after Junior Stanislas netted an equaliser for the Hammers that sent the game into extra time
The match went into extra time and West Ham won a penalty in the 97th minute when Andy Frampton handled substitute Zavon Hines’s cross in the area.
Stanislas made no mistake in slotting his kick into the right-hand corner.
Hines then sealed the game with a brilliant piece of individual skill, passing two Millwall players and giving David Forde no chance in the Millwall goal with his right-foot shot in the 100th minute.
JACK COLLISON
A visibly upset Jack Collison is escorted off at full time
Keith Jackett, the Millwall manager, said he did not feel threatened at any point during the match and added: ‘I can only really speak for the Millwall fans but there were none of them on the pitch. They stayed where they were supposed to.
‘We’ve got a passionate game in this country, but when it oversteps the mark then things have to be done.’
West Ham players were wearing black armbands for Collison’s father. Perhaps they should have been wearing them for the game itself.
