In what probably had to be seen as a 'must win' game, the Hammers dominated proceedings at Upton Park and ran out comfortable winners; if they had scored the fourth or fifth goal their play deserved we'd have been calling this a bit of a thrashing but whatever way you look at it, this was a stylish win that showed a fair gulf between the two teams. There may be some difficult away games coming up but West Ham have hit their stride at just the right time.

When you're struggling at the wrong end of the table and confidence is low, there is nothing better than to go into a game following a win in your last outing, and find yourself a goal up after only three minutes and, thanks to Behrami's goal after an interchange between Franco and the Swiss International, that was exactly what happened.

But, in fact, West Ham had come out of the blocks flying and could have been ahead even before that. When Hunt fouled Faubert on the touchline, Diamanti sent in a scorching free kick that Myhill did well to turn round the post and seconds later had to rise to catch a header from Upson as the Hammers threatened again. From the resulting throw though, Hull were caught in posession allowing Behrami the run that resulted in the early goal.

That set the pace for the first half with Behrami being denied again after the visitors defence was robbed in the tackle and Myhill was forced into a diving save. It was a good stop but looked second-best to the superb save the Hull keeper produced to keep out that man Behrami again following a pin-point cross from Diamanti. Even on replay it looked a goal all the way. It was all West Ham at this stage but Rob Green showed some class of his own in a superb fingertip save from Boateng in a rare Hull excursion into West Ham's area just before the break.

The second half continued in the same vein as the first with Diamanti producing some tricks in his own half of the field causing Craig Fagan, who had already been booked for a nasty late challenge on Parker in the first half, to see red when he foolishly pulled the Italian's shirt. The player protested as ever but it was hard to see why, probably the Hull player was just reacting to what was a pointless foul in an area of the pitch in which Diamanti could do little...or could he?

With Fagan off, West Ham powered forward and Carlton Cole doubled the Hammers lead on the hour when a superb pass by Faubert split the Hull defence to allow Cole to finish with aplomb. Phil Brown immediately reacted by substituting three of his players but it made little difference. After a bit of interplay from Scott Parker in midfield, the ball fell to Diamanti - only about 10 yards from where he had been fouled for Fagan's sending-off - and, looking up and spotting the Hull keeper off his line, the Italian attempted a cheeky shot the full length of the field that Myhill just got back too. If nothing else it confirmed Diamanti's growing stature and the Hammers confidence..

Hull never seriously threatened and West Ham continued to take the game to the visitors in what was now becoming a very one-sided affair before, in a late melee following a corner that Diamanti took and Upson got his head too, Anthony Gardner went down trying to stop Upson and was taken off was what looked like a bad ankle injury. Having used their substitutes, Hull were now down to nine men and just intent on playing out time but West Ham took full advantage when the ever-improving Faubert powered through unchallenged to blast a third in injury time. It was the Frenchman's fiftieth appearance for West Ham and only now is the player showing the type of form that decided Alan Curbishley to pay out for him two seasons ago. It is an encouraging sign and has the effect of almost adding a player to the squad.

After the game, Manager Zola stated that he thought West Ham could play even better and though a cynic would say they need to with away games against Chelsea, ManU and the Arse coming up, there is a growing belief that West Ham are at last looking like the side they were last season.