LAST TIME WE VISITED WEST HAM .... 2008/9
WEAST HAM: Green, Behrami, Upson, Neill, Ilunga, Faubert, Noble,Parker (Mullins 72), Etherington (Boa Morte 73), Di Michele,Cole (Sears 87).
Subs Not Used: Lastuvka, Lopez, Davenport, Reid.
NEWCASTLE: Given, Edgar (Bassong 59), Taylor, Coloccini,N'Zogbia, Geremi, Cacapa (Gonzalez 81), Butt, Duff, Owen, Xisco.
Subs Not Used: Harper, Ameobi, Tozer, Doninger, Donaldson.
Att: 34,743
Gianfranco Zola's reign as West Ham manager got off to the perfect start as his fellow Italian David di Michele hit a brace to help see off crisis-club Newcastle 3-1 at Upton Park.
The former Chelsea midfielder officially took up his duties on Monday - and the Hammers responded to record a third home successive win.
Di Michele, on a season loan from Torino, set them on their way with a deflected effort after just eight minutes and then added another before half-time.
Matthew Etherington made it 3-0 before England striker Michael Owen salvaged a consolation for the visitors, who are in desperate need of direction without a manager and under an owner looking to get out as quickly as possible.
Given the club sponsor, holiday company XL, had gone bust, the Hammers had squad numbers on both the back and front of their shirts, while Newcastle have recently looked about as safe a bet as the Northern Rock.
It was a positive start by the hosts, who had won both of their opening home games under Alan Curbishley - the former boss quitting after a row with the board over player transfers.
Di Michele skipped clear off the offside trap and into the left side of the penalty area. However, Shay Given stood up at his near post to make the save.
The Italian then got lucky after eight minutes when he cut inside from the right and shot from 20 yards - then wheeled away in celebration as the ball ricocheted off Steven Taylor and up over the keeper into the net.
West Ham continued to press forwards and in the 23rd minute, Matthew Etherington's surging run and cross down the left flank just failed to pick out Carlton Cole who was arriving at pace in the middle.
Mark Noble shot wide again - this time driving an angled effort well wide from the left side of the penalty box.
Di Michele showed him how it should be done with nine minutes left to half-time.
The chance looked to have been spurned after the Italian was played in by Noble and Given had come out to make a reaction save with his head.
However, the ball dropped back to the striker.
Given far too much time and space, he simply turned inside Taylor before slamming home his second from six yards.
Newcastle faced an uphill battle now to get anything out of the match.
When the ball dropped to Charles N'Zogbia 25 yards from goal, he blazed it high into the stands - just about summing up the visitor's afternoon so far.
However, Newcastle made a bright start to the second half, and Geremi's deep cross was just too far ahead of Spanish striker Xisco.
Australian defender Lucas Neill, the Hammers captain, was cautioned in the 51st minute following a late challenge on Owen.
Geremi's free-kick found its way through to the six-yard box, where Taylor flicked it goalwards, but Owen could not get any power on his close-range header.
It proved a costly miss as, after 53 minutes, the hosts went up the other end and scored.
Cole played Di Michele away down the right channel, and he sprinted into the area.
Unselfishly, the Italian, on a hat-trick, laid the ball back across goal for Etherington to sweep it into the net.
Di Michele was then teed up by Ilunga's left-wing cross - but crashed a left-foot effort over the bar from 15 yards.
Xisco, signed from Deportivo de La Coruna just before the transfer window closed, felt he should have had a penalty when Valon Behrami looked to deflect his chip into the box with a hand - but referee Phil Dowd was unimpressed.
Newcastle, though, did get a lifeline after 67 minutes.
Claudio Cacapa slipped in Owen at the edge of the penalty area and the England striker dropped his shoulder to pass Neill before bending a superb effort into the top right corner.
The visitors' spirits were raised and Cacapa almost stabbed in another, but Robert Green was behind his close-range effort before then keeping out a low drive from Damien Duff.
Newcastle continued to press and Cacapa was furious with himself after heading over from 10 yards.
While West Ham looked far from comfortable during the closing stages - something which their new manager will undoubtedly work on - they managed to close the match out without any further scares.
Indeed, they should have netted a fourth in stoppage time, but substitute Luis Boa Morte shot wide when clean through - with Di Michele screaming for a square pass and a certain hat-trick.
WEST HAM v NEWCASTLE - THE HISTORY
2008/2009 Sat 10 Jan Newcastle Utd. 2 - 2 West Ham Utd. Premier League
Sat 20 Sep West Ham Utd. 3 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Premier League
2007/2008 Sat 26 Apr West Ham Utd. 2 - 2 Newcastle Utd. Premier League
Sun 23 Sep Newcastle Utd. 3 - 1 West Ham Utd. Premier League
2006/2007 Sat 20 Jan Newcastle Utd. 2 - 2 West Ham Utd. Premiership
Sun 17 Sep West Ham Utd. 0 - 2 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
2005/2006 Sat 17 Dec West Ham Utd. 2 - 4 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
Sat 20 Aug Newcastle Utd. 0 - 0 West Ham Utd. Premiership
2002/2003 Sat 11 Jan West Ham Utd. 2 - 2 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
Mon 19 Aug Newcastle Utd. 4 - 0 West Ham Utd. Premiership
2001/2002 Sat 27 Apr Newcastle Utd. 3 - 1 West Ham Utd. Premiership
Sun 23 Sep West Ham Utd. 3 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
2000/2001 Mon 16 Apr Newcastle Utd. 2 - 1 West Ham Utd. Premiership
Sat 28 Oct West Ham Utd. 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
1999/2000 Wed 12 Apr West Ham Utd. 2 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
Mon 03 Jan Newcastle Utd. 2 - 2 West Ham Utd. Premiership
1998/1999 Sat 20 Mar West Ham Utd. 2 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
Sat 31 Oct Newcastle Utd. 0 - 3 West Ham Utd. Premiership
1997/1998 Sat 07 Feb Newcastle Utd. 0 - 1 West Ham Utd. Premiership
Sat 20 Sep West Ham Utd. 0 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
1996/1997 Tue 06 May West Ham Utd. 0 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
Sat 16 Nov Newcastle Utd. 1 - 1 West Ham Utd. Premiership
1995/1996 Mon 18 Mar Newcastle Utd. 3 - 0 West Ham Utd. Premiership
Wed 21 Feb West Ham Utd. 2 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
1994/1995 Wed 08 Mar Newcastle Utd. 2 - 0 West Ham Utd. Premiership
Wed 31 Aug West Ham Utd. 1 - 3 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
1993/1994 Sat 19 Mar West Ham Utd. 2 - 4 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
Sat 25 Sep Newcastle Utd. 2 - 0 West Ham Utd. Premiership
1992/1993 Sun 21 Feb West Ham Utd. 0 - 0 Newcastle Utd. League Division One
Sat 29 Aug Newcastle Utd. 2 - 0 West Ham Utd. League Division One
1990/1991 Wed 24 Apr West Ham Utd. 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Second Division
Sat 22 Sep Newcastle Utd. 1 - 1 West Ham Utd. Second Division
1989/1990 Sat 28 Apr Newcastle Utd. 2 - 1 West Ham Utd. Second Division
Sat 11 Nov West Ham Utd. 0 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Second Division
1988/1989 Wed 03 May Newcastle Utd. 1 - 2 West Ham Utd. First Division
Sat 22 Oct West Ham Utd. 2 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1987/1988 Sat 07 May Newcastle Utd. 2 - 1 West Ham Utd. First Division
Sat 19 Dec West Ham Utd. 2 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1986/1987 Sat 02 May West Ham Utd. 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Sun 30 Nov Newcastle Utd. 4 - 0 West Ham Utd. First Division
1985/1986 Mon 21 Apr West Ham Utd. 8 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Sat 05 Oct Newcastle Utd. 1 - 2 West Ham Utd. First Division
1984/1985 Sat 02 Feb West Ham Utd. 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Sat 29 Sep Newcastle Utd. 1 - 1 West Ham Utd. First Division
1980/1981 Sat 07 Mar West Ham Utd. 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Second Division
Sat 04 Oct Newcastle Utd. 0 - 0 West Ham Utd. Second Division
1979/1980 Sat 15 Mar Newcastle Utd. 0 - 0 West Ham Utd. Second Division
Sat 06 Oct West Ham Utd. 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Second Division
1978/1979 Sat 24 Mar West Ham Utd. 5 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Second Division
Wed 23 Aug Newcastle Utd. 0 - 3 West Ham Utd. Second Division
1977/1978 Sat 21 Jan West Ham Utd. 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Sat 03 Sep Newcastle Utd. 2 - 3 West Ham Utd. First Division
1976/1977 Sat 16 Apr Newcastle Utd. 3 - 0 West Ham Utd. First Division
Sat 20 Nov West Ham Utd. 1 - 2 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1975/1976 Sat 13 Mar Newcastle Utd. 2 - 1 West Ham Utd. First Division
Sat 11 Oct West Ham Utd. 2 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1974/1975 Fri 28 Feb West Ham Utd. 0 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Sat 31 Aug Newcastle Utd. 2 - 0 West Ham Utd. First Division
1973/1974 Sat 19 Jan Newcastle Utd. 1 - 1 West Ham Utd. First Division
Sat 25 Aug West Ham Utd. 1 - 2 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1972/1973 Sat 07 Apr Newcastle Utd. 1 - 2 West Ham Utd. First Division
Sat 02 Dec West Ham Utd. 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1971/1972 Sat 18 Dec West Ham Utd. 0 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Sat 04 Sep Newcastle Utd. 2 - 2 West Ham Utd. First Division
1970/1971 Sat 24 Apr Newcastle Utd. 1 - 1 West Ham Utd. First Division
Sat 19 Sep West Ham Utd. 0 - 2 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1969/1970 Mon 02 Mar Newcastle Utd. 4 - 1 West Ham Utd. First Division
Sat 09 Aug West Ham Utd. 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1968/1969 Sat 01 Mar West Ham Utd. 3 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Sat 10 Aug Newcastle Utd. 1 - 1 West Ham Utd. First Division
1967/1968 Sat 06 Apr West Ham Utd. 5 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Sat 11 Nov Newcastle Utd. 1 - 0 West Ham Utd. First Division
1966/1967 Wed 26 Apr Newcastle Utd. 1 - 0 West Ham Utd. First Division
Sat 19 Nov West Ham Utd. 3 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1965/1966 Sat 08 Jan Newcastle Utd. 2 - 1 West Ham Utd. First Division
Sat 11 Dec West Ham Utd. 4 - 3 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1960/1961 Sat 01 Apr West Ham Utd. 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Sat 10 Dec Newcastle Utd. 5 - 5 West Ham Utd. First Division
1959/1960 Sat 20 Feb West Ham Utd. 3 - 5 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Sat 03 Oct Newcastle Utd. 0 - 0 West Ham Utd. First Division
1958/1959 Mon 30 Mar Newcastle Utd. 3 - 1 West Ham Utd. First Division
Fri 27 Mar West Ham Utd. 3 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1947/1948 Sat 28 Feb West Ham Utd. 0 - 2 Newcastle Utd. Second Division
Sat 11 Oct Newcastle Utd. 1 - 0 West Ham Utd. Second Division
1946/1947 Mon 26 May Newcastle Utd. 2 - 3 West Ham Utd. Second Division
Sat 02 Nov West Ham Utd. 0 - 2 Newcastle Utd. Second Division
1938/1939 Sat 25 Feb Newcastle Utd. 2 - 0 West Ham Utd. Second Division
Sat 22 Oct West Ham Utd. 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Second Division
1937/1938 Sat 12 Mar Newcastle Utd. 2 - 2 West Ham Utd. Second Division
Sat 30 Oct West Ham Utd. 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Second Division
1936/1937 Wed 09 Sep Newcastle Utd. 5 - 3 West Ham Utd. Second Division
Mon 31 Aug West Ham Utd. 0 - 2 Newcastle Utd. Second Division
1935/1936 Sat 21 Mar West Ham Utd. 4 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Second Division
Sat 02 Nov Newcastle Utd. 3 - 3 West Ham Utd. Second Division
1934/1935 Sat 23 Feb Newcastle Utd. 3 - 0 West Ham Utd. Second Division
Sat 13 Oct West Ham Utd. 3 - 2 Newcastle Utd. Second Division
1931/1932 Sat 30 Jan Newcastle Utd. 2 - 2 West Ham Utd. First Division
Sat 19 Sep West Ham Utd. 2 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1930/1931 Mon 26 Jan West Ham Utd. 3 - 2 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Sat 20 Sep Newcastle Utd. 4 - 2 West Ham Utd. First Division
1929/1930 Sat 03 May Newcastle Utd. 1 - 0 West Ham Utd. First Division
Mon 09 Sep West Ham Utd. 5 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1928/1929 Wed 26 Dec Newcastle Utd. 1 - 0 West Ham Utd. First Division
Tue 25 Dec West Ham Utd. 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1927/1928 Sat 05 May Newcastle Utd. 3 - 1 West Ham Utd. First Division
Sat 24 Dec West Ham Utd. 5 - 2 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1926/1927 Sat 23 Apr West Ham Utd. 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Sat 04 Dec Newcastle Utd. 2 - 0 West Ham Utd. First Division
1925/1926 Sat 06 Feb Newcastle Utd. 4 - 1 West Ham Utd. First Division
Sat 26 Sep West Ham Utd. 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1924/1925 Wed 17 Sep Newcastle Utd. 4 - 1 West Ham Utd. First Division
Mon 08 Sep West Ham Utd. 0 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1923/1924 Sat 13 Oct Newcastle Utd. 0 - 0 West Ham Utd. First Division
Sat 06 Oct West Ham Utd. 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1914/1915 Sat 16 Jan Newcastle Utd. 3 - 2 West Ham Utd. F.A. Cup
Sat 09 Jan West Ham Utd. 2 - 2 Newcastle Utd. F.A. Cup
1908/1909 Wed 24 Feb Newcastle Utd. 2 - 1 West Ham Utd. F.A. Cup
Sat 20 Feb West Ham Utd. 0 - 0 Newcastle Utd. F.A. Cup
1907/1908 Sat 01 Feb Newcastle Utd. 2 - 0 West Ham Utd. F.A. Cup