West Ham United 6-0 Brighton FT

Final score - West Ham United 6-0 Brighton and Hove Albion

93 mins - Game over, but game very much on in terms of automatic promotion! Ricardo Vaz Te's hat-trick capped a truly superb all-round performance against Play-Off-chasing Brighton, who never had a hope after a miserable opening eleven minutes. West Ham will go to Bristol City on Tuesday full of confidence. Don't forget, highlights and reaction from the biggest home win in more than 14 years will be available on West Ham TV.

92 mins - The home fans will enjoy their Saturday evening. Automatic promotion remains a possible. Good news from elsewhere as Coventry and Bristol City are both drawing. The Hammers need Coventry to be in the game to stay up when they play Southampton on the final day.

91 mins - Into three added minutes. What a fantastic result for West Ham. They have closed to within three goals of Southampton and it should be two as Tomkins wins another header at the far post and heads down, but Nolan cannot quite wrap his foot around it to finish from two yards!

89 mins - Taylor lifts the corner in and Brezovan drops the cross before claiming the bouncing ball.

88 mins - Can West Ham get seven? Lansbury is felled about 40 yards out. Noble rolls the free-kick to Nolan and his swivel and shot is blocked behind for a corner.

87 mins - Cole is booked for persistent foul play. He has given away a fair few free-kicks, in fairness.

85 mins - Vaz Te is voted man of the match by Renault Retail Group. Meanwhile, my research suggests West Ham's most-recent 6-0 home win was against Barnsley in the Premier League on 10 January 1998.

82 mins - Today's crowd is 32,339. They are not happy as Big John elects to try to beat El Abd instead of shooting. He then brings down the defender. Head in hands for the Norwegian.

80 mins - Cole and Carew battle again and the ball drops to Lansbury. Noble slashes at the volley and the ball flies high and wide. 'Ooohs' from the crowd.

78 mins - GOAL! Dicker has just been booked and now his misery is complete as he diverts Noble's corner into the bottom corner.

76 mins - Vaz Te's work is done. He trots off to a standing ovation and is replaced by John Carew. A fantastic afternoon from the No12, who has now scored ten in ten starts.

75 mins - Taylor does well to block Noone's shot behind for a corner. West Ham deal with it.

74 mins - And West Ham's last 5-0 home win? Against Plymouth Argyle in the Championship on 19 February 2005.

73 mins - West Ham's most-recent 5-0 league win was at Derby County in the Premier League on 10 November 2007.

69 mins - Vaz Te's hat-trick is the first in the league for the Hammers since Marlon Harewood against Aston Villa on 13 September 2005. Victor Obinna was the last player to score three times in a game for West Ham, doing so against Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup fourth round last season on 30 January 2011.

68 mins - Collins is on for Demel. Tomkins to right-back.

67 mins - I'm giving the goal to Lansbury and you can't stop me!

64 mins - GOAL! El Abd deflects Cole's shot, or does it come off Lansbury? Or is it Cole's goal? Whatever, it is 5-0! Cole had been sent free by Noble and cut inside Calderon before shooting low. Brezovan had no chance. Cole is credited with the goal, but his shot was going wide. Who knows!

63 mins - Noone is on for Vicente.

62 mins - GOAL! Vaz Te completes his hat-trick in spectacular style! The cross from the left from Taylor is won by an unmarked Cole at the far post. He heads back into the danger zone. Lansbury might be fouled but while the appeals are waved away, Vaz Te simply scissor kicks the ball into the net!

61 mins - Brighton are seeing more of the ball since the two changes, but as yet they have not once opened the Hammers up.

59 mins - As things stand, both Doncaster and Portsmouth will be relegated today. The two are playing one another at the Keepmoat Stadium, with Rovers 2-0 up.

57 mins - A clearance from the back falls to a Brighton player. It's Dicker. He plays the ball inside for Navarro, but his shot is a daisy-cutter and flicks a heel before rolling harmlessly through to Green.

55 mins - It is Gary O'Neil who is replaced. He's done well enough. I'm sure it's just a case of keeping him ready for Tuesday. Collison is on.

53 mins - West Ham are back in the ascendancy and pushing the tempo again. Brighton make two changes and they are attacking ones. Assulin and Barnes are replaced by LuaLua and Mackail-Smith. Collison could be on soon for West Ham.

52 mins - Vaz Te has another go from distance but he doesn't catch this one flush. It's on target again but Brezovan watches the bouncing ball carefully and catches to his chest.

50 mins - Demel does well to read a flick by Barnes and clear up at the back. He has been solid so far on his Boleyn bow. West Ham come down the left and Cole springs the offside trap. His shot is low, but Brezovan blocks. Lansbury retrieves, but his cross is charged down and the keeper collects.

48 mins - Better. Lansbury finds O'Neil, who feeds Demel overlapping. He crosses first-time and Cole goes for it, but El Abd bravely dives to head behind. The corner is cleared as far as Vaz Te, who tries an overhead kick, but cannot get the direction right.

47 mins - Brighton on top to start the second half. Painter crosses low and Tomkins stumbles a bit as he clears. Reid sorts it out. Brighton come again and Calderon gets to the byline but he is all left foot and can only poke the ball behind.

46 mins - No changes at the break from either manager. Whatever Carew said to Vicente, the Spaniard has taken it on board as he turns away and shoots from 30 yards - over the crossbar.

Brighton are first out of the tunnel for the second half, closely followed by the Hammers. Vicente has a chat with former Valencia team-mate John Carew on the pitch before the second half gets underway.

Half-time score - West Ham United 3-0 Brighton and Hove Albion

47 mins - That should be 4-0. El Abd presents the ball to Vaz Te on halfway. He swaps passes with Nolan before the pass is slotted to Lansbury in acres of space on the right-edge of the box. His first touch is a bit heavy and Brezovan is out. Lansbury shoots as the goalkeeper dives but it goes well over. Half-time.

46 mins - Into added time and Painter goes down under a challenge from Nolan. Free-kick about 23 yards out for Brighton. Two added minutes will be played. Vicente shoots low and wide.

44 mins - Vaz Te again. Cole makes something from a long punt forward and lays off for Vaz Te. The No12 cuts inside and shoots powerfully and Brezovan makes an acrobatic punch clear.

42 mins - The Good Year blimp is flying overhead! It's like being at the Super Bowl! Vicente takes the free-kick and Nolan heads behind for a corner. Vicente again and Cole flicks on inadvertantly. Greer heads goalwards and Green claws the ball out from right on the line. Appeals for a goal are turned down. 

41 mins - Silly as it sounds at 3-0, West Ham need to make it to half-time without conceding. Reid is penalised for a foul on Vicente. The Kiwi doesn't think the Spaniard was touched and remonstrates with him. Both men get a talking to from the referee.

40 mins - Brighton are chucking plenty of men forward. Assulin again, beating Demel but being ushered clear by Tomkins, who robs him and clears for a throw. Good defending.

38 mins - Assulin tricks his way past Demel and cuts into the box. His shot hits Tomkins and spins out for a throw. The visitors work the ball cleverly from the throw through Calderon to Vicente. His low cut-back is cleared but rolls back into the path of Calderon. He shoots from the edge of the box, but it is blocked.

37 mins - In all the early fuss, I forgot to mention that Guy Demel is making his home debut today.

35 mins - According to the stats, West Ham have had ten shots, including seven on target. Brighton have only Calderon's wayward volley to show for their efforts.

31 mins - Chance for Cole to play Vaz Te through after the Portuguese does well inside the centre circle, but the striker's pass is cut out by Greer.

29 mins - Brighton break and win a corner as Demel charges down a cross. Vicente takes it and Calderon loses his marker too easily and volleys, but he slices well wide. Lucky that didn't fall to a forward player instead of a full-back...

28 mins - Fair play to Brighton, they are not stopping their passing game just because they are trailling. Meanwhile, West Ham attack and Noble plays the ball down the right touchline for Demel. He crosses but it's high and caught by the goalkeper.

25 mins - Calderon gets in space inside the box after some nice interplay from the Seagulls. Demel wins the header stretching at the far post and Nolan stabs clear.

24 mins - Vicente has shown a few glimpses of the form that earned him 38 caps for Spain. However, he's going to need some help if Brighton are to get anything out of this game.

22 mins - I was just about to type that Brighton have settled down at last when Navarro passes the ball straight out for a throw.

19 mins - Vaz Te comes close to going clear again. Reid nips in and finds Lansbury. He turns and plays the pass, but it is too strong. Brezovan collects.

17 mins - Brezovan looks a bit shell-shocked in goal. The corner is worked to Noble and then back to Taylor. His cross is cleared to Lansbury, whose cross falls back to O'Neil 30 yards out after being touched by Cole and Nolan. The No32 shoots first-time and Brezovan makes a nervy catch on his line.

16 mins - It should be 4-0. Simple as that. Vaz Te turns creator this time, beating a man and finding Cole on the edge of the box. He takes a touch, but his right-foot shot is too close to Brezovan.

16 mins - Silly as it sounds, West Ham's goal difference is now only six worse than Southampton's. The Hammers need to keep scoring!

13 mins - Nice play from Vicente as he holds off Noble and finds the overlapping Calderon. The right-back crosses well from the byline and Dicker wins the header, but it is straight to Green.

13 mins - West Ham have started like an absolute house on fire! Perhaps the players were listening to The Prodigy tune 'Firestarter' that was played over the PA system just before kick-off?

11 mins - GOAL! NOLAN! Cole is fouled on halfway. Taylor sends the free-kick over to the far post and Tomkins wins the header and powers the ball back across the face of goal for Nolan. The skipper finishes, but he nearly makes a hash of it! Chicken dance time!

10 mins - This high-tempo game is not letting Brighton settle at all. Vaz Te does well again, beating Calderon and then playing Cole through, but the striker is offside.

8 mins - GOAL! VAZ TE AGAIN! The shot from Nolan cannons off El Abd and wide right to O'Neil. His cross is to the far post and Vaz Te beats Calderon in the air and powers his header in down by the post. Brezovan goes to ground, but he cannot keep the ball out. What a start!

7 mins - The cross comes in from the left this time but Cole flicks his header wide.

6 mins - It could so easily be 2-0. Taylor's initial left-foot cross is cut out but his second with his right-foot is met on the volley by Nolan but Brezovan makes a point-blank save! West Ham keep up the pressure and two crosses into the box are cleared before the Seagulls clear for a throw.

6 mins - This is going to be an open game now, says Evening Standard man Ken Dyer sitting to my right. Brighton need to win to keep their Play-Off hopes alive, so they will have to come out and play.

5 mins - That's Vaz Te's eighth goal in ten starts. What a beginning to his Hammers career!

3 mins - GOAL! Wow! Vaz Te! Taylor wins a tackle wide on the left and the ball is worked quickly to Vaz Te. He cuts inside and lets fly from 25 yards and the ball simply rockets through Brezovan. That looked to be straight at the keeper but the pace on the ball was just too much. Did it swerve too? I can only assume so.

2 mins - It's been a very positive and energetic start from the hosts. They are pressing high up the pitch and trying not to let Brighton settle into their passing game!

34 secs - So close. Noble tackles wide on the left and finds Vaz Te. He beats Calderon and passes inside for Lansbury. The No22 shoots and the ball takes a slight deflection and loops over Brezovan before cannoning high into the air off the crossbar! The Brighton keeper recovers to claim the loose ball.

3pm - Lansbury and O'Neil get the game underway. A long ball forward from Taylor into the box is challenged by Nolan, but it drops harmlessly to Brezovan.

2.58pm - With all the automatic promotion talk, it was rather lost that Brighton's midweek defeat by Reading confirmed West Ham's place in the Play-Offs. Anyway, with four games to play, a top-two finish is still possible. Let's be positive. Three points today will close the gap on Southampton to three. They travel to Peterborough on Tuesday, while the Hammers go to Bristol City. Back to today and the Hammers will kick-off...

2.56pm - It's game-time! Here come the teams, led by captains Kevin Nolan and Gordon Greer. Brighton are in their luminous green and black away kit. They certainly won't lose each other, even if we have a solar eclipse this afternoon. The Seagulls fans are in good voice, but they're no match for the Hammers faithful as 'Bubbles' rings out across east London.

2.55pm - I'll keep you updated as to how our band of loanees are getting on this afternoon. Frank Nouble starts for Barnsley and Cristian Montano starts for Oxford United, to name but two. Freddie Sears and Olly Lee are on the bench for Colchester United and Gillingham respectively.

2.45pm - The two teams have headed back into their respective dressing rooms. The sprinklers are on and the pitch is getting a last soaking before kick-off.

2.15pm - The official teamsheets are posted on the club's official twitter feed here.

2.10pm - Brighton make three changes, with Jara, Buckley and Mackail-Smith being replaced by Painter, Assulin and Bridcutt. It looks like 4-5-1 from Gus Poyet, although Spanish star Vicente is likely to have a free role behind centre forward Ashley Barnes.

2.05pm - West Ham make three changes, with Guy Demel, Matt Taylor and Henri Lansbury in for the injured George McCartney, Abdoulaye Faye and Nick Maynard. I am informed that West Ham might be lining up with a 4-4-2 formation.

West Ham United: Green, Demel, Tomkins, Reid, Taylor, Noble, Nolan, O'Neil, Lansbury, Vaz Te, Cole
Subs: Henderson, Collins, Collison, Maynard, Carew

Brighton and Hove Albion: Brezovan, Painter, Calderon, Greer, El-Abd, Dicker, Bridcutt, Navarro, Assulin, Vicente, Barnes
Subs: Ankergren, Noone, Jara, LuaLua, Mackail-Smith

1.55pm - The teams will be announced in about five minutes!

Good afternoon and welcome to the Boleyn Ground for today's make-or-break npower Championship fixture between West Ham United and Brighton and Hove Albion.

There is still time to get down to the Boleyn for today's game. The Alpari Stand Ticket Office is open now, while the Priory Road Ticket Office will be open shortly. Alternatively, cash turnstiles 17 and 18 (Alpari Stand Upper) and 46 (Bobby Moore Stand Upper) will be open from 1.30pm. Tickets start from £32 for Adults and £19 for Under-16s.

Before today's game, charity fundraiser David Annand will be walking 12 miles around the pitch. Annand, who was diagnosed with prostate cancer at the age of 49, is raising £5,000 for the Prostate Cancer Charity by walking a total of 500 miles. To make a donation or to find out more about his campaign, please click here.

The Hammers need to win today if they are to close the gap on second-place Southampton to three points and maintain their chances of gaining automatic promotion. The Saints slipped to a 3-1 home defeat by new leaders Reading on Friday evening.

While Sam Allardyce's side have a game in-hand on both teams above them, the manager has conceded that his team must win their remaining four fixtures to have a chance of overhauling the Saints.

Team news-wise, Big Sam will have to make do without injured trio George McCartney, Joey O'Brien and Julien Faubert. The lineups will be confirmed at around 2pm and posted first on the club's official twitter feed.

If you would like to order a copy of today's matchday programme, click here.