Hammers showed the best and worst of their game as they bounced back from last Sunday's alarming defeat to Wigan.

The efforts of Mattie Etherington and Luke Chadwick inspired the team as they raced into a three-goal lead inside the first half-hour.

Up front Marlon Harewood was all bustle and energy, consistently unsettling the Alex rearguard, while Teddy Sheringham's guile and clinical finishing recalled his glory days with England.

The only surprise about Sheringham's 16th-minute opener was that it had taken so long to arrive: Harewood had already headed an Etherington cross against the bar before doing well to muscle his way passed Keith Briggs.

The striker found Chadwick bursting forward on the right, and his pull-back was elegantly hooked home with lethal economy by Sheringham.

Crewe's faltering efforts to re-assert themselves in the face of a slick-passing whirlwind suffered another blow on 25 minutes.

Sheringham was again the finisher, this time applying the gentlest of glancing headers to Etherington's cross after seeing his own efforts charged down moments before.

And a third goal came from the unlikeliest of scorers on the half-hour mark when a Hammers corner was half-cleared to Rufus Brevett.

The left-back's last league goal came five seasons ago in a Fulham shirt, but his thunderous 35-yard drive suggested a natural instinct for finding the target. Even the slightest of deflections made little difference as it flew past keeper Ben Williams.

But then came the bad news. Within 60 seconds Crewe had a lifeline when Kenny Lunt sprung a hesitant offside trap and allowed Dean Ashton to slot calmly past Steve Bywater.

Mark Rivers was left unmarked to head a Briggs' cross wide as half-time approached, and suddenly a stroll in the Cheshire sunshine looked a remote prospect.

After the break the Irons looked to find a killer fourth goal, and with better luck and better finishing Harewood might have found it.

Then on 82 minutes Crewe emerged from their bunker to set up a real scare for Hammers. Substitute Anthony Tonkin combined with Lunt to find Ashton with time and space to roll a second goal beyond Bywater.

Published Monday August 23, 2004

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