West Ham 5 Burnley 3

Two goals from Steve Fletcher and one from Chris Eagles had the Hammers sweating by the end and had former England striker David Nugent had his radar working - spuring two golden chances shortly after coming on a substitute - it could have been a terrible result for West Ham.

It had all looked so good for the home side, despite the absence of skipper and centre-half Matthew Upson.

Having survived an early scare, when Scott Parker cleared Clark Carlisle's header off the line, the Hammers took control and opened the scoring on 18 minutes.

Parker, having been brought down just inside the Burnley half took a quick free kick which found the visitors back-four napping as Jack Collison ran onto the through ball to slot past Brian Jensen.

More slack defending allowed West Ham to double their lead on 32 minutes.

Junior Stanislas sprung the offside trap again to take Guillermo Franco's through ball. Jensen saved the youngster's first effort but then left his near post unguarded to allow the winger to crack the ball home off the far post.

There was an element of fortune about it as Franco clearly handled the ball as he collected a throw-in but referee Chris Foy - who had a mixed afternoon - failed to spot the infringement.

Although well on top West Ham did look vulnerable down the flanks, with Eagles giving Ilunga a difficult time but it was the Irons who scored again just before half-time.

Jonathan Spector took the ball on a storming run into the Burnley box and had his heel clipped by Robbie Blake, a forward's tackle if ever there was one, and Mr Foy pointed to the spot.

Carlton Cole, who was struggling after taking a heavy knock in a collision with Jensen a few minutes earlier, stepped up to take the penalty and coolly stroked into the middle of the goal as the keeper dived to his right.

The England striker failed to appear after the half-time break and his place was taken by Zavon Hines.

Franco, who has begun to look as though he has adapted to English football, became the pivot of the Hammers' attack and he scored his second goal in a week when he poked home a Stanislas free-kick on 51 minutes.

The Hammers made it five in the 64th minute when Luis Jiminez, on as a substitute for Franco, tumbled over the sprawling Jensen to win the home side another spot kick.

The Chilean took the kick himself and was delighted to see it billow the back of the net.

But the Hammers then took their foot off the pedal and allowed Burnley back into the game.

Eagles, who had switched flanks in the second half started to torment Spector and twice he slid the ball across the goal for Fletcher to convert on both occasions.

Burnley were then reduced to 10 men when Steven Caldwell was sent off in injury time after pulling back Hines as he raced clear, but Owen Coyle's side still managed to add a third as Eagles deservedly scored after converting ex-Iron Tyrone Mears' low cross.

There was no time left for Burnley to salvage something from the game and the final whistle was met with a mixture of relief and elation from the home crowd, only the second time they have enjoyed a home Premier League win this season.

Zola was a happy man after the game, even though his team had conceded three goals for the second game in succession.

He said: "Right now we are very good coming forward, we just need to keep the balance when we are defending.

"We switched off too early, but we wanted the three points today and we have to be happy with that.

"I will take a lot of positives from this game. We scored five goals. Going forward we are doing very well."

The win keeps West Ham just above the relegation places but it was a golden opportunity to wipe out their negative goal-difference.

With Manchester United visiting next Saturday they can't afford to be so generous at the back for the third game running.

West Ham: Green, Spector, Ilunga, Da Costa, Gabbidon, Parker, Kovac, Stanislas, Cole (Hines, 46), Franco (Jiminez, 59), Collison (Faubert, 77). Unused subs: Kurucz, Tomkins, Noble, Nouble.

Booked: Ilunga, Kovac.

Goals: Collison 18, Stanislas 33, Cole (pen) 43, Franco 51, Jiminez (pen) 64.

Burnley: Jensen, Carlisle, Mears, Caldwell, Jordan (Kalvenes, 55), Alexander (McDonald, 70), Elliott, Blake (Nugent, 55), Bikey, Fletcher, Eagles. Unused subs: Penny, Duff, Gudjonsson, Thompson.

Booked: Jensen

Sent off: Caldwell

Goals: Fletcher 68, 74; Eagles 90+5

Attendance: 34,003

Referee: Chris Foy