Hammers striker Ricardo Vaz Te hit the net in the opening 10 secconds against Doncaster last Saturday, only to be denied the fastest ever West Ham goal.

Back in December, Ricardo Vaz Te sent Crystal Palace reeling after just 10 seconds of their clash with Barnsley at Oakwell when he thumped the Yorkshire side into the lead.

And the speedy 25-year-old Portuguese striker almost eclipsed that feat on Saturday for West Ham as he hit the net in just 8.7 seconds against Doncaster Rovers.

Vaz Te collected a brilliant pass from Kevin Nolan, outmuscled Pascal Chimbonda and poked the ball past keeper Carl Ikeme, only for referee Andy D’Urso to rule he had fouled the Rovers full back.

Left back Matt Taylor thought the goal should have been given.

“I thought from where I was directly behind it, that it was a fairish challenge,” said Taylor.

“Obviously the referee deemed otherwise so it was just one of those things, but it would have been a brilliant start.”

It would. In fact it would have been the best ever start by a West Ham team.

The previous best was Ken Bainbridge’s strike against Barnsley in August 1949 which was timed at 11 seconds, while against the Hammers, Charlton’s Jim Melrose scored in nine seconds at Upton Park back in 1986.

This would have been better, but maybe Vaz Te has got something else up his sleeve for the future.

After all, it seems he is making a habit of it!