FULL TIME: Happy Hammers see off the Cottagers (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

FULL TIME: Happy Hammers see off the Cottagers

4:54pm Saturday 12th January 2008 in West Ham By Guardian-series

West Ham 2
Fulham 1
(Barclays Premier League)

ANTON Ferdinand scored a late winner as West Ham came from behind to beat Fulham in an action-packed game at Upton Park this afternoon.

The defender fired high into the net from Mark Noble's cut back from about eight yards out in the 71st minute. The goal sealed back to back home league wins for the Irons for the first time this season.

They did however, start the game slowly and fell behind in the eighth minute when Simon Davies' free kick from out wide eluded everyone and sailed into the far corner of the net.

Dean Ashton equalised on 27 minutes with a well placed header from Freddie Ljungberg's cross.

The forward then came close again after chesting down Matty Etherginton's cross and unleashing a powerful shot that Fulham keeper Anti Niemi somehow turned onto the crossbar.

And the Cottagers keeper did well again to thwart Ashton soon after, this time tipping a curling shot over the bar.

The Irons should have been in front just before half time when Carlton Cole powered his way through the flimsy Fulham back line, but his prodded shot lacked enough power to trouble Niemi.

The east Londoners looked just as potent going forward after the break - Cole saw a header cleared off the goal line by Fulham defender Paul Konchesky, and Ashton stabbed the ball wide when in front of goal from Ljungberg's header down.

At the other end, Clint Dempsey sent a rasping drive just wide and also saw his header cleared off the line by Mark Noble.

The win keeps alive the Hammers' chances of pushing for a European place. Boss Alan Curbishley also had time to hand summer signing Julien Faubert his long overdue debut. The Frenchman - out since pre season with an achilles injury - made his first appearance in a claret and blue shirt as an 89th minute substitute.

West Ham: Green, Spector, Upson, Ferdinand, McCartney, Ljungberg (Faubert 89), Noble, Mullins, Etherington (Bowyer 83), Cole (Boa Morte 64), Ashton: Faubert, Wright, Collins.