Cabaye's Capital Gains! West Ham 1-3 Newcastle

Cabaye celebrates the opener Newcastle returned to winning ways following a run of four defeats by deservedly beating West Ham at Upton Park yesterday.

Yohan Cabaye stole the show once more as he pulled the strings from midfield and bagged a goal either side of a strike by Loic Remy.

However an unfortunate own goal by Mike Williamson just before half-time gave the hosts a way back into the match which made things more nervy than West Ham deserved on the day. The victory was deserved and could have been by more goals with some more clinical finishing but a win is a win and that is just what the doctor ordered.

Newcastle took the lead 16 minutes into the match when Steven Taylor surged forward playing the ball down the left for Yoan Gouffran who passed in field to Yohan Cabaye who stroked the ball home after sidestepping West Ham defender Razvan Rat.

It should have been two soon after but for Gouffran's effort being cleared off the line before Moussa Sissoko spurned another great chance to double the lead by firing tamely at Adrian after being played in by Cabaye.

A second goal did arrive just after the half-hour mark as Loic Remy applied the finish to a fine team move by controlling Moussa Sissoko's right-wing cross with his chest before poking home.

At 2-0 we were cruising and fully deserved the lead but a goal just before half-time gave the hosts some hope as Mike Williamson bundled into his own net after Carlton Cole's initial shot was saved by Krul.

Half-time: West Ham 1-2 Newcastle

As you might have expected, a goal just before the break gave the hosts a platform to build on as they launched the ball forward at every opportunity. And it would have paid off had Cole not fired a Matt Taylor cross wide from six yards before Andy Carroll, introduced just after the hour mark, skied Stewart Downing cross way over from eight yards.

But despite a bombardment of high balls into the box, the kind we painfully know Allardyce's football can produce, United held firm and sealed the win deep into stoppage time. Hatem Ben Arfa was brought down on the edge of the West Ham box giving Yohan Cabaye the chance to line up a free-kick, which he did perfectly curling his effort up and over the wall and into the back of the net via the post.

Full-time: West Ham 1-3 Newcastle

That's six away wins for the season already - last season we managed just two so we're looking at a vast improvement in fortunes on the road. It's also our fourth win on the spin in London where we always used to struggle.

Yes it could and probably should have been more comfortable but the home side were always going to give it a go in the second period after a dire first half. That is just how it goes, but we held firm and got the win we deserved.

Howay the lads!

West Ham: Adrian, Razvan Rat, Roger Johnson, James Collins, Matt Taylor, Matt Jarvis, Mark Noble, Jack Collison, Mohamed Diame, Stewart Downing, Carlton Cole

Subs: Jussi Jaaskelainen, Andy Carroll, Modibo Maiga, Ravel Morrison, Alou Diarra, Joe Cole, Leo Chambers

Newcastle: Tim Krul; Davide Santon, Mike Williamson, Steven Taylor, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa; Cheik Tiote, Vurnon Anita, Yohan Cabaye; Moussa Sissoko, Loic Remy, Yoan Gouffran

Subs: Rob Elliot, Massadio Haidara, Paul Dummett, Gabriel Obertan, Hatem Ben Arfa, Shola Ameobi, Papiss Cisse

Attendance: 33,343