VPjr
07-21-2008, 12:01 AM
More than 100 fans clash as West Ham United beats Columbus Crew 3-1 THE ASSOCIATED PRESS COLUMBUS, Ohio A halftime brawl between more than 100 fans marred an exhibition match Sunday between West Ham United of the English Premier League club and the MLSı Columbus Crew. The fights, which overshadowed West Ham Unitedıs 3-1 win, began when a handful of West Ham supporters, some wearing the teamıs claret and blue colours, entered the northeast corner of the stadium where the Crewıs most boisterous supporters typically gather. Crew supporters began directing chants toward the rival fans, and fights quickly broke out between more than 100 Crew fans and at least 30 West Ham fans. Columbus police officers and Crew Stadium security staff eventually separated the groups. Highway Patrol officers arrested one fan outside the stadium for disorderly conduct, Patrol spokeswoman Anne Ralston said. A dispatcher didnıt know whether Columbus police had made any arrests inside the stadium. West Ham forward Dean Ashton scored the gameıs first goal, a blistering low shot that flew past Andy Gruenebaum in the sixth minute. Forward Jason Garey put Columbus on the scoreboard in the 20th minute, leaping to head home a bending crossing pass from Cory Elenio. Crew midfielder Brad Evans inadvertently doubled West Hamıs advantage by scoring into his own goal in the 26th minute. Kyle Reid completed the scoring for West Ham with a close-range goal in the 53rd minute. ³It was a terrific game for us. We needed that sort of a workout,² West Ham manager Alan Curbishley said. ³We took the MLS game because we wanted to come to America. We wanted to show people what weıre about.²