Julian Dicks saved Premiership high-fliers West Ham from an embarrassing exit with an 86th-minute equaliser at Upton Park.

The unfortunate Roger Freestone was the fall-guy for Swansea as he let Dicks' speculative 30-yard drive squirm under his body as the Third Division side looked like claiming a famous victory.

It was particularly cruel on the former Chelsea keeper who had been immaculate throughout and produced a brilliant save from Stan Lazaridis just minutes earlier.

The visitors led through Jason Smith's 61st-minute header and were full value for their lead against a well-below-par Hammers.

Even the introduction of 17-year-old wonderkid Joe Cole 25 minutes from time did not look like being enough to save West Ham from a second humiliating cup exit this season after being knocked out by Northampton in the Worthington Cup.

But Freestone's blunder handed Harry Redknapp's side a chance to redeem themselves in a replay that their display hardly deserved.

The noisy 5,000-strong travelling contingent from Swansea had good reason to enjoy their day out in the first-half as they saw their side more than match their top flight opponents.

They were far from overawed by the occasion and created the best of the early chances with the Hammers defence looking extremely shaky in the absence of virus victim Rio Ferdinand.

Skipper Nick Cusack drove wide from a promising position and Stuart Roberts tested Shaka Hislop with a right-foot effort after the keeper had failed to hold a left-wing cross.

The home crowd's frustrations were obvious and it took their side 20 minutes to test Freestone in the City goal, the Swans keeper proving up to the challenge.

Trevor Sinclair's delicate lob from the edge of the area after a jinking run looked to be looping over the Swans keeper but he managed to reach up and turn the ball over the bar.

From the resulting corner Lazaridis and Berkovic worked a neat one-two but the Israeli's shot was well blocked as Swansea continued to defend in numbers.

Freestone then saved well at the feet of Wright as he raced from his line before Sinclair, the Hammers most impressive player, shot over.

A previously subdued first-half then erupted into life with an unseemly brawl after 35 minutes sparked by Jason Smith's foul on Ian Wright.

Smith clattered Wright from behind on the edge of the area and referee Stephen Lodge awarded a free-kick but the Swansea players were adamant the centre-half had played the ball.

They angrily surrounded Lodge before Neil Ruddock became needlessly involved, trying to grab the ball from a Swansea player.

There then followed a bout of pushing and shoving involving almost all the players before Lodge restored order enough to book Wright and Ruddock.

The match threatened to boil over as it became increasingly bad-tempered with two more incidents in the opening stages of the second half.

Ian Pearce and Martin Thomas tussled for the ball by the right touchline before Pearce appeared to aim a headbutt at the Swansea player.

Referee Lodge took a lenient view and settled for giving both players a lecture.

Jonathan Coates was then booked after another tangle with Dicks as the game became even scrappier.

Swansea felt they had good claims for a penalty on 51 minutes when Coates went down under Sinclair's challenge but Lodge took a good look before waving play on.

Swansea then took the lead their overall play had deserved just after the hour through centre-half Smith.

Stuart Roberts evaded Steve Potts' desperate lunge before whipping in a cross for Smith to have a free header to beat Hislop from eight yards out.

That signalled the arrival of 17-year-old wonderkid Cole on the scene for his first-ever senior appearance for the Hammers as Redknapp threw caution to the wind.

Lazaridis should have done better after controlling Sinclair's cross but his right foot shot lacked any real power on 76 minutes.

The winger then must have thought he had scored the equaliser three minutes later when, after a short corner with Sinclair, his shot seemed to be going for the top corner, but somehow Freestone reached it with his right hand to palm it away.

Not to be outdone, Hislop at the other end produced an equally good save from Roberts after the midfielder had cut in from the right wing and curled a right-footer towards the top corner.

That looked like the end of the road for West Ham but as the minutes ticked away Dicks became the hero and Freestone the villain as the Hammers snatched a replay.

Teams:

West Ham: Hislop, Potts, Ruddock, Pearce, Dicks, Sinclair, Lomas, Berkovic (Cole 65), Wright, Hartson (Abou 70), Lazaridis (Omoyimni 82).

Subs Not Used: Forrest, Breacker.

Booked: Ruddock.

Goals: Dicks 87.

Swansea: Freestone, S. Jones, Howard, Cusack, Smith, Bound, Coates, Thomas, Alsop, Watkin, Roberts.

Subs Not Used: Bird, J. Jones, Jenkins, Price, O'Leary.

Booked: Smith, Coates, Cusack, Thomas.

Goals: Smith 61.

Att: 26,039

Ref: S Lodge (Barnsley).