West Ham staged a memorable comeback to break the hearts of lowly Bradford in a nine-goal thriller at Upton Park.

Bradford's hopes of claiming a second big-name scalp in the space of seven days looked to be firmly on course when they held a two-goal lead in the second half but the Hammers simply refused to accept defeat.

But West Ham could not have started worse as after just five minutes keeper Shaka Hislop limped off after he was felled in the area when attempting a clearance.

Hislop's dramatic exit gave teenage substitute Stephen Bywater the chance to make an unexpected debut and his nervy early contributions hardly inspired the confidence of those around him.

After a scrappy first 30 minutes, punctuated only by the skill and temper outbursts of Paolo di Canio, Bradford seized the lead.

Bywater stayed rooted to his line as Peter Beagrie delivered a pin-point corner which an unmarked Dean Windass headed home from just five yards.

The breakthrough strike lit the touchpaper as within five minutes West Ham were level.

Frank Lampard weaved his way through a flat-footed Bradford defence before finding Trevor Sinclair who rifled home from 10 yards.

The Hammers were now in the ascendancy as the silky skills of di Canio and forward presence of Sinclair caused the visitors constant headaches.

John Moncur became hero then villain in yet another dramatic injury-time spell at Upton Park.

First he drove the Hammers into the lead with a 30-yard piledriver only to concede a hotly-debated penalty moments later with a foolish push on Dean Saunders which Windass calmly buried.

The second half followed a similar frantic pattern as Jamie Lawrence fired Bradford into a seemingly commanding two-goal lead.

The red-haired midfielder left Bywater scarlet-faced as he cruelly capitalised on the keepers palpable nerves - first claiming a loose ball spilled by the flapping youngster and then neatly chipping him when he idled off his line.

However, West Ham are not known for their lack of courage in a fight and an inspired comeback left Bradford reeling.

Paul Kitson's introduction to a three-man forward line proved a master substitution and it was his darting run into the Bradford area which forced the visitors to concede the game's second penalty.

Di Canio may have charmed the East End with his full-blooded commitment and never-say-die attitude but he upset regular penalty-taker Lampard when snatching the ball from him for the spot-kick.

The pair tugged and pulled before the Italian's iron will proved victorious and Lampard sulked away to the edge of the area.

Di Canio converted the kick but the pair continued to exchange words afterwards.

Close marking by the Bantams ensured Joe Cole spent much of the afternoon seeking the space with which to weave his magic.

But with the possibility of a first England call-up looming, he fired the Hammers level after a brilliant run that bewitched Bradford for his first league goal.

Eight goals and enough drama to fill a Hollywood screenplay yet the game still wasn't finished as Lampard secured a most unlikely victory with a spectacular strike to break Bradford's hearts.

Teams:

West Ham: Hislop (Bywater 2), Charles (Kitson 57), Ferdinand, Stimac, Minto, Lomas, Moncur, Lampard, Cole, Di Canio, Sinclair.

Subs Not Used: Keller, Carrick, Potts.

Booked: Lampard.

Goals: Sinclair 35, Moncur 43, Di Canio 65 pen, Cole 70, Lampard 83.

Bradford: Davison, Halle, Wetherall, O'Brien, Jacobs, Lawrence, McCall, Whalley, Beagrie, Windass, Saunders.

Subs Not Used: Southall, Blake, Sharpe, Redfearn, Dreyer.

Booked: O'Brien.

Goals: Windass 30, Beagrie 45 pen, Lawrence 47, 51.

Att: 25,417

Ref: N Barry (Scunthorpe).