Ipswich 3
West Ham 5

DEAN ASHTON helped himself to a hat-trick in a thrilling win over Ipswich Town tonight - but the game was overshadowed by another injury setback to Craig Bellamy.

The pacy striker - who was restricted to just eight appearances last season - left the Portman Road field after just 22 minutes clutching his hamstring.

Boss Alan Curbishley already has a host of players on the sidelines but it will be the biggest blow of all if, as expected, the 27-year-old Welshman is out of the Irons league opener with Wigan on Saturday week.

For 20-odd minutes of an action-packed first half against the Tractor Boys, Bellamy looked sharp, decisive, and added a fifth pre-season goal in as many games.

His strike on ten minutes - which put Hammers back in front - was brilliant, the forward lacthing onto Lucas Neill's deep pass before superbly lobbing over the onrushing Richard Wright.

His partnership with Ashton also appeared to be bearing fruit.

Indeed it was Ashton who had given the Hammers a fourth minute lead, taking a touch on Matty Etherington's cross before firing in-off the crossbar.

The lead lasted just two minutes. Great play between Veliche Shumulikoski and Pablo Counago put the former in on goal, and the midfielder finished with a delicate chip over Robert Green into the net.

Bellamy's withdrawal changed the Hammers shape and clearly on the back foot and moments later and Ipswich were back on level terms, Owen Garvan firing through a melee of legs and into the net.

It was no more than the hosts deserved. The Championship outfit were slicker in the pass and more mobile throughout the team.

Kevin Lisbie somehow glanced a header over the crossbar from on the goalline, and then saw his close range effort well parried by Green as the Tractor Boys got on top.

Captain Gareth MacAuley then headed Alan Quinn's deep cross against the outside of the post before the half was out.

The second half was typically less enthralling with the Premier League side, perhaps eniviatably, getting on top.

And it showed on 57 minutes when Ashton reaffirmed the Hammers advantage.

Neill was persistent with a run into the box and the ball worked its way out to Ashton. The England man had time and space to ram home into the bottom corner.

Ashton then grabbed his treble on 73 minutes, sliding in to turn home Kyel Reid's low cross.

Mark Noble grabbed a fifth on 79 minutes with a tremendous first-time shot from the edge of the box into the bottom corner.

Ipswich's Alan Lee grabbed a late consolation for the hosts, beating Marek Stech in the air to head home.

But the young Hammers keeper made amends a minute later, thwarting Jamie Peters when clean through on goal.

West Ham: Green (Stech 60), Neill, Widdowson, Upson, Ferdinand (Davenport 38), Behrami (Mullins 63), Etherington (Reid 45), Parker, Noble, Bellamy (Hines 22), Ashton (Stanislas 81). Subs: Spence, Collison, Stokes.