Joshua King's late treble gives Bournemouth a 3-2 win over West Ham

Bournemouth hosted West Ham United in the 28th round of the Premier League. The match turned into a spectacular show, with plenty of goals and danger in front of both goals. The Cherries eventually took the three points, but how they did it was more remarkable still, in a game that deserves a place among the classic matches of English football.

The hosts were the better side from the start, and just 9 minutes after kick-off they were awarded a penalty for a foul by Feghouli on Charlie Daniels in the box. Joshua King, who had scored Bournemouth’s first ever goal against Manchester United the week before, stepped up, but his shot went well wide.

Moments after King’s miss from the spot, West Ham United went ahead with a beautiful goal from Michail Antonio. Bournemouth equalised before half-time: Joshua King flicked the ball past a West Ham defender and put it in the net with a fine half-volley. 1-1!

Just 6 minutes after the equaliser Bournemouth won another penalty. This time Marc Pugh was brought down in the box by Jose Fonte, and the referee had no choice but to point to the spot for the second time. Benik Afobe’s shot, however, was saved by goalkeeper Darren Randolph.

Shortly after the break, Joshua King found himself unmarked in the box after a dangerous Bournemouth free kick and gave the Cherries the lead with a good finish from inside the six-yard box. Bournemouth looked set to see out the win comfortably, but in the 83rd minute substitute Andre Ayew equalised. 2-2!

In the very last seconds of stoppage time, Joshua King scored his hat-trick after an excellent Bournemouth attack. It was the forward’s first ever hat-trick for the club, and a hugely important one. It made him Bournemouth’s top scorer in the Premier League with 11 goals.

Joshua King and the 2016-17 season

The hat-trick against West Ham came on 11 March 2017 and capped a remarkable spell for the Norwegian forward, who scored five goals in three league matches between late February and March. King, born in Oslo on 15 January 1992, had spent part of his youth career at Manchester United after joining from Valerenga in 2008, and he moved to Bournemouth from Blackburn Rovers on 28 May 2015, just before the club’s first Premier League season. He was the sixth Norwegian to score a Premier League hat-trick.

King finished the 2016-17 campaign with 16 Premier League goals in 36 appearances, the best return of any Bournemouth player in the league that season. The Cherries ended the season ninth with 46 points from 12 wins, 10 draws and 16 defeats, in only their second consecutive season in the top flight.

The rise of the Cherries

The win over West Ham was part of a story that had begun at the bottom of the Football League. Bournemouth had gone through administration and relegation to League Two in 2008, and Eddie Howe took charge in late 2008. Under Howe the club finished second in League Two in 2009-10 and won promotion from League One in 2012-13, during his second spell in charge. The 2014-15 Championship title, sealed with a 3-0 win at Charlton on the final day, took Bournemouth into the top flight for the first time.

The club has played at Dean Court since 1910; its capacity is 12,357. Howe stayed until 1 August 2020, when he left by mutual consent after relegation had been confirmed on the final day of the 2019-20 season. Bournemouth returned to the Premier League in 2022 as Championship runners-up under Scott Parker.

King left the club after the relegation, joining Everton on deadline day, 1 February 2021, and then Watford on a free transfer in July 2021, before moving on to Fenerbahce in July 2022.