West Ham 2 Hull City 0

David Di Michele and Carlton Cole both scored but could have easily finished with a hat-trick apiece had they shown slightly more composure in front of goal, and enjoyed some better luck off the woodwork.

The last time Hull came to Upton Park, back in October 1990, they left on the wrong end of a 7-1 scoreline and it could have been just as heavy a defeat last night but for the profligacy of the Irons' attack.

Gianfranco Zola opted to start with Cole and Di Michele up front, with new club record signing Savio Nsereko on the bench, and the Hammers roared out of the blocks on a cold, damp night at the Boleyn.

They put Hull under concerted pressure almost from the first whistle and served up some great football for their goal-hungry supporters.

Di Michele came close when he curled a superb effort round City keeper Matt Duke, only to see the ball rebound off the post to safety.

The Irons were then handed the chance to take the lead when Carlton Cole was upended in the box in the 22nd minute and Howard Webb pointed to the spot.

Mark Noble, who scored a penalty against Hartlepool last Saturday, stepped up to take the spot kick but saw Duke make a fine save, diving to his left, to palm the ball away.

It looked as if it was going to be one of those nights for West Ham, with their concerted pressure failing to produce the goals they deserved.

But all that changed on 33 minutes when Di Michele finally found the back of the net.

He capitalised on a slight error by Duke, who made a good save from Cole's curling effort from the left but only succeeded in parrying the ball into the path of the onrushing Italian and Di Michele bundled the ball into the roof of the net from four yards.

It was no more than West Ham deserved with Hull offering very little in the way of attacking threat.

Indeed, the Tigers' first meaningful effort on Rob Green's goal came in the 36th minute when Manucho produced a tame header straight at the Hammers' keeper.

Di Michele, who seemed to being playing with a point to prove to the manager, kept the crowd entertained with a super display of skills but then showed the other side of his character by wasting a good chance when his snap shot ended up nearer the corner flag than the goal.

Cole should have doubled the lead just before half-time when he was put clean through but the big striker, sniffing his sixth goal in seven games, managed to fire his shot straight at Duke.

But West Ham were purring and were unlucky to see a great flowing move in the 40th minute not finish with a goal, Jack Collison's strike hitting the post.

Hull came out for the second half with more purpose and began to show signs of a fightback.

But their revival was short lived when Cole finally got his name on the scoresheet in the 51st minute.

Noble floated a free kick in from the right and the ball fell to Di Michele lurking at the far post. His fierce shot cannoned off the post and across the goalmouth, where Cole was waiting to stab it home from close range.

To their credit Hull did not simply fold up and surrender with Jimmy Bullard, on as a substitute for his debut, instrumental in all their best moments.

The former Fulham man, who spent two years with the Hammers as a youngster a decade ago, unleashed a fulminating shot from 25 yards in the 57th minute which arrowed towards the bottom corner, only for Green to dive to his right and turn it round the post.

West Ham continued to push for more goals with Cole having a fine shot deflected wide and Noble's audacious chip from the edge of the box being tipped over by Duke.

Even the substitutes got in on the act.

Julien Faubert, finding himself in unfamiliar territory in the opposition box, contrived to hit his shot straight at Duke, while Luis Boa Morte missed an even better opportunity in the last minute, slicing his shot well wide when it seemed easier to hit the target from just six yards.

One of the biggest cheers of the night came when 19-year-old Savio was introduced with four minutes to go, although the German's cameo contribution did not really show what the crowd can expect from him.

All in all a great night for the Hammers. A win that puts them firmly in the frame for a top half finish and perhaps even European qualification.

But with a trip to Arsenal on Saturday and then a visit from Manchester United the following week Zola will know his side need to keep producing their good form.

West Ham: Green, Neill, Ilunga, Upson, Collins, Parker, Noble (Boa Morte, 84), Behrami, Collison (Faubert, 71), Cole, Di Michele (Savio, 87). Unused subs: Lastuvka, Tristan, Tomkins, Sears.

Goals: Di Michele 33, Cole 51

Hull City: Duke, Dawson, Ricketts, Turner, Zayette, Marney (Mendy, 74), Ashbee, Kilbane, Geovanni (Bullard, 53), Cousin, Manucho (Fagan, 53).

Booked: Marney

Attendance: 34,340

Referee: Howard Webb