Hammers deny feisty Fulham

West Ham 2 Fulham 1

However, it is to defence that the Hammers boss is likely to turn his attentions before the transfer window closes after watching his side hang on having taken command at Upton Park with brilliant first-half strikes from Anton Ferdinand and Yossi Benayoun.

The first chance of the evening arrived after six minutes.

Heidar Helguson got his head to a corner from the left, only for the goal-bound effort to come back off his skipper Luis Boa Morte, who was standing in the six-yard box.

However, after 17 minutes, West Ham took the lead with a spectacular strike from Ferdinand.

A corner was only cleared as far as the edge of the area, where Marlon Harewood nodded the ball on.

It dropped into the path of Ferdinand, who turned to hook a superb first-time effort over Antti Niemi.

After an uncomfortable spell, West Ham were again looking to go on the offensive, Benayoun seeing more of the ball in the final third, and the Israeli conjured a magical second goal in the 29th minute.

West Ham worked the ball along the edge of the penalty area from the left, with winger Matthew Etherington picking out his midfield team-mate on the far side.

Benayoun turned American full-back Carlos Bocanegra inside-out before stepping back and dispatching a perfect angled chip over Niemi into the net.

Bocanegra's night almost got worse at the start of the second half when he looked to have hauled down Zamora as the pair tussled for Zat Knight's loose back header.

Referee Uriah Rennie, however, gave the benefit of the doubt to the Fulham defender and signalled no foul.

The visitors pulled a goal back on 52 minutes as a long punt forward was flicked on by Brian McBride.

Centre-back Danny Gabbidon failed to deal with the bouncing ball just outside the box and Helguson needed no second invitation, taking a touch before smashing a low, angled shot in off the right-hand post for his fifth goal of the season.

The Icelander then looked to have a strong penalty claim waived away by the referee after he appeared to have been bundled over by Hammers full-back Paul Konchesky after breaking clear down the right.

Fulham pressed during the closing stages, but West Ham had done just about enough to deserve a first home league win since Bonfire Night.

WEST HAM: Carroll, Repka, Ferdinand, Gabbidon, Konchesky, Benayoun (Katan 86), Mullins, Reo-Coker, Etherington (Newton 90), Harewood, Zamora (Dailly 80).

FULHAM: Niemi, Rosenior, Knight, Bocanegra, Bridge, Elliott, Legwinski, Malbranque (Radzinski 62), Boa Morte, Helguson, McBride (John 70).

Referee: U Rennie (S Yorkshire).