A second half defensive collapse saw the Hammers slip to a 3-2 defeat at Ewood Park against Blackburn this afternoon.
Three second-half goals for the home side saw them overturn West Ham's slender 1-0 half-time lead, gained when Bobby Zamora scored in the second minute of first-half injury time.The collapse was precipitated by an injury to Danny Gabbidon - a collusus in the Hammers back four thus far this season - after he crashed into the advertising boards behind the goal following a challenge from Blackburn's Pedersen midway through the first half.
Once Gabbidon had left the field West Ham were at sixes and sevens at the back, and three second half goals - two from journeyman Paul Dickov and a third from former Ipswich striker Shefki Kuqi - gave the home side all three points and revenge for their 3-1 defeat at Upton Park on the opening day of the season.
Zamora's opening goal - his second in two games following his wonder goal at Birmingham last week - came in the 47th minute of first half action. Marlon Harewood burst through the centre of the field and laid a perfect through ball on for Zamora who clipped the ball over the oncoming Brad Friedel from some 16 yards.
It took only ten minutes of second half action for the home side to draw level; Tomas Repka was harshly penalised after he was deigned to have handled the ball inside the penalty area. Paul Dickov stepped up to level the scores as the Hammers continued to remonstrate with referee Mike Riley.
There were to be no compaints about Blackburn's second however which arrived less than two minutes later; an error by substitute Christian Dailly allowed Dickov in at the back stick for his second of the afternoon.
But true to West Ham's season so far, Pardew's side stuck at the task in hand and got their reward in the 62nd minute when Bobby Zamora's cross was nodded home by Marlon Harewood, notching his seventh goal of the campaign.
However there was still one more goal to come, and it went to the home side who secured all three points when Kuqi took advantage of indecision in the Hammers defence to steal in and score via the crossbar with Roy Carroll rooted to the spot.
Despite a late rally the Hammers failed to score the goal which would have secured a point; we'll have a full match report for you soon.
West Ham United: Carroll; Repka, Konchesky, Ferdinand, Gabbidon (Dailly 21); Mullins, Noble (Bellion 61), Etherington, Benayoun; Harewood, Zamora (Aliadiere 76).
Subs not used: Hislop, Newton.
Goals:: Zamora (45), Harewood (62).
Booked: Noble (5), Konchesky (44), Ferdinand (68), Harewood (86).
Blackburn Rovers: Friedel, Neill, Khizanishvili, Gray, Reid, Emerton (Kuqi 61), Savage, Tugay (Mokoena 79), Pedersen, Bentley, Dickov.
Subs not used: Enckelman, Thompson, Jansen.
Goals:: Dickov (55 pen, 57), Kuqi (76).
Booked: Tugay (78), Gray (87).
Referee: Mike Riley
Attendance: tbc
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