Nowland fires up West Ham

West Ham United 1 - Burnley

By overcoming a dogged Burnley side who looked content to leave East London with a point and their unbeaten start to the season intact, Alan Pardew, the West Ham manager, saw his side's promotion charge splutter into life at Upton Park.

By overcoming a dogged Burnley side who looked content to leave East London with a point and their unbeaten start to the season intact, Alan Pardew, the West Ham manager, saw his side's promotion charge splutter into life at Upton Park.

Veteran striker Teddy Sheringham returned to the home team's starting line-up, and it was his second-half renaissance that lifted West Ham to victory when it looked as though their efforts would not be rewarded.

Burnley were solid but uninspiring after the summer rebuilding by their manager, Steve Cotterill, and frustrated West Ham to good effect. But Pardew insisted that he was happy with his team's performance after a game in which West Ham dominated in terms of possession and chances.

"It is going to be difficult at home when teams come and set themselves up like Burnley did, and they made it very difficult for us," said Pardew. "Last year we were accepting draws and I want my team to get a winning mentality. But the important thing was to win the game."

West Ham edged the first half and, on 35 minutes, midfielder Adam Nowland tested Danny Coyne in the Burnley goal with a right-footed drive. Moments later Coyne was again on hand to tip away Sheringham'sstrike from the edge of the area.

Evidently unhappy at his side's dismal first-half showing, Pardew's half-time words seemed to have the desired effect as Burnley continued to defend in the second half.

After 62 minutes Nowland, one of the better performers for the home side, launched a right-footed drive from distance and this time Coyne stood no chance as the ball sailed past him. Pardew and a packed Upton Park let out a collective sigh of relief.

Burnley had no answer but Sheringham was adjudged offside as he netted from close range on 75 minutes. Tempers boiled over in a flurry of action in the final few minutes after Harewood was bundled over by Burnley defender John McGreal.

Six minutes into injury time, after coming on for Sheringham, West Ham substitute Chris Cohen was given a straight red card for a rash challenge on midfielder Tony Grant.

Cotterill said afterwards: "We did not take the chances that we had, but we came here and gave a good account of ourselves and we were strong right until the death."