Leeds continued their unbeaten run with a 5-1 win at West Ham, but there was much more to this game than just the score.

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink gave Leeds the lead after just 20 seconds, but during the following 90 minutes, West Ham had three players sent off as referee Rob Harris made ten bookings.

Hammers manager Harry Redknapp chose not to comment on the refereeing of the game, but Leeds boss David O'Leary had few complaints.

"I thought the referee had an excellent game, although I might not agree with the letter of the law in the case of the goalkeeper," said O'Leary.

Unmarked

Lee Bowyer clattered Eyal Berkovic in the opening seconds and then Alfie Haaland found Hasselbaink unmarked 20 yards out, who curled his shot past Shaka Hislop for a goal in the first minute.

The first West Ham player to receive his marching orders was Ian Wright for two bookable offences.

His first caution was the result of an elbow on Haaland and the second a wild off-the-ball challenge.

Shaka Hislop: A tearful afternoon

Despite their numerical disadvantage, West Ham posed a threat with the likes of Trevor Sinclair, Paolo Di Canio and Berkovic.

The Israeli international combined superbly with Sinclair to provide the former QPR striker with a heading chance which he put over the bar.

Hard work

But despite their hard work, the home side went into the break two down, after Harry Kewell tormented the makeshift West Ham defence before supplying a pass Alan Smith to tap in.

The referee's first half performance was still the talk on the terraces at the end of the first period, with the official requiring a police escort as he left the field.

But a determined West Ham began the second half in impressive fashion, and pulled a goal back with Di Canio converting Berkovic's inviting centre.

With a chance to perhaps snatch a point, the Hammers pushed forward, and the gaps they left contributed further to their downfall.

Foiled

Hasselbaink found himself clean through on goal, and his attempt on goal was foiled illegally by Hislop.

With a penalty duly awarded, few could believe it when Harris showed the former Newcastle keeper the red card.

As a tearful Hislop left the field, Craig Forrest replaced him between the posts and his first job was to pick the ball from the net after Ian Harte deposited the spot kick.

Two goals in a minute from Bowyer and Haaland gave the game an unrealistic scoreline, and three minutes from time, Steve Lomas received the final red card of the game for a bad challenge.