Classic Match
21 February 1981
West Ham United 4-2 Cambridge United
League Division Two
A crowd of 36,002 turned out at the Boleyn Ground to see West Ham United continue their march towards the Division Two title. The Hammers went top of the table after 15 of their 42 league matches and did drop out of first place again.
This victory over Cambridge United was one of the 19 home victories John Lyall's team picked up in their 21 matches in east London. Only Luton Town, on the opening day of what would be a memorable season, left the Boleyn with a maximum two points courtesy of a dramatic 2-1 success.
The U's arrived at West Ham in mid-table and put up a decent battle - almost literally when Alvin Martin and George Reilly were involved in an ugly-looking clash - before succumbing to the relentless Hammers midway through the second half. John Docherty's side even had the audacity to take the lead through a Reilly header on 31 minutes.
However, the hosts would be ahead within five minutes thanks to Alan Devonshire and a Ray Stewart penalty. Paul Goddard made it 3-1 on 58 minutes before Stewart's second made the game safe a short time later. Cambridge did net a second through Stephen Spriggs on 82 minutes, but Lyall's men would not be denied.