EYEWITNESS: FA Cup Third Round - West Ham 1 Arsenal 2

HAS there really been a return to the dark ages of football holiganism? Or have the press stoked up a fire that burnt out years ago? Hooligans from yore, are in their forties and fifties now. Do any of them clamour for a return to the 'Danny Dyer' days of organised, knuckled-headed fist fests, that so blighted our landscape a generation ago?
True, a few hundred West Ham and Millwall fans turned a Carling Cup tie earlier this season, into 'Fight Club', but the Man Utd/Leeds cup tie this weekend, saw five arrests out of a near 75,000 crowd. The Police and the authorities were expecting supporter mayhem, but all they got was a shock win 1-0 win for the fallen Yorkshire giants.
Judging by the banter on a packed District Line train to Upton Park on Sunday, it proved that a London derby doesn't have to mean crowd trouble.
West Ham fans blew bubbles with Arsenal supporters in a hemmed-in show of good-natured solidarity. It seemed fans of all ages, were just excited to be going to a good old fashioned cup-tie between these famous old clubs.
"We hate Tottenham more than you", chimed the Hammers fans.
"Give us Robert Green, Scott Parker and Matthew Upson for free, and we'll let you hate them more", came the reply.
And then at Upton Park tube station, the sardines spilled from their eight carriage tin to be met by a near freezing temperature, and the reassuring sight of a low-police prescence. There were dads with young children, the wafting smell of horse chestnuts, and the sight of pints without fights.
Fans from both sides simply scoffed fish and chips, and made beelines for the hive of activity where the programme, badge, flag and scarf sellers were. In the ground, the calm prevailed: I counted 24 police and 15 stewards, separating both sets of fans, who competed for best noise at a third round cup tie. Hardly a war zone.
The first half was boring; the second, much more like it - not quite pulsating, but something to warm the cockles of the West Ham hearts.
"1-0 to the Cockney boys", chanted the home crowd, courtesy of a goal from Alessandro Diamanti on the stroke of half time. West Ham stormed out of the blocks at the restart, and only fine goalkeeping from Arsenal's Lukas Fabianski, kept the home side out.
There seemed no way back. Perhaps Arsenal fans massed behind the goal were glad, and would rather win Wednesday's home match with Bolton. Then, when Arsene Wenger brought on Abou Diaby and Samir Nasri, the tide was turned. With 12 minutes to go, Aaron Ramsey levelled, and within minutes, Eduardo, sent the massed ranks into raptures with a pinpoint header.
At the final whistle, the near 26,000 crowd spilled out onto the streets. No one seemed bothered by the result, only the need to get in out of the cold and watch Celebrity Big Brother!
Flag sellers were taking down their claret and blue banners. One said "ICF - These Colours don't Run!" If this was a nod to West Ham's fighting forces, it wasn't apparent on the streets. Burgers were "Going for a pand"; and police 'gee-gees' cantered up Green Street, back to their straw-laden horse boxes, and still West Ham and Arsenal fans tucked into hot fast food, before sharing the packed tubes home.
PAUL COWLING