West Ham fought back from a goal down to beat a spirited Fulham side 2-1 at Upton Park. Simon Davies gave the visitors the lead with a free-kick that deceived Robert Green, but the Hammers made sure of the points thanks to a header from Dean Ashton and a neat finish from Anton Ferdinand.

The home side were enjoying the lion's share of the possession in the opening stages of the game, but they went behind with seven minutes gone when Davies's left-wing free-kick eluded everyone and bounced past Green at the back post.

Carlos Bocanegra did his best to claim the goal, but replays proved he'd failed to make contact, and the American was then replaced by Aaron Hughes after sustaining a knock to the head.

The goal stung West Ham into action, and with fit-again Freddie Ljungberg and Ashton to the fore they began to carve out some openings.

Just before the half-hour mark those two combined to fashion an equaliser, Ashton getting across Hughes to direct an excellent header past Antti Niemi from Ljungberg's right-wing cross.

Fulham's goal-keeper was powerless to prevent the equaliser, but he kept his side in the game with some stunning saves, first pushing Ashton's half-volley onto the crossbar and then turning away a left-footed curler from the same man that seemed destined for the top corner.

Carlton Cole then spurned a fantastic opportunity to put his side ahead when he tamely poked the ball straight at Niemi after shrugging off the attentions of Hughes.

With half-time approaching the home side were let off the hook when Ferdinand's attempted clearance was charged down by a Fulham forward and ran right across the face of goal with Green stranded out of position.

The home side asserted their ascendancy quickly in the second period, and went close to going ahead when Cole met a Mark Noble corner from the left with a header that Paul Konchesky headed off the line.

But just as it looked as if Fulham might hold out for a point, West Ham went ahead with twenty minutes remaining.

Noble's right-wing corner was cleared and found its way back to him, and his cut-back was firmly side-footed into the roof of the net by the advancing Ferdinand.

Ashton wasted a great chance to make the points safe moments later when he failed to direct Ljungberg's knockdown on target, and at the other end the Hammers were grateful to a goal-line clearance from Jonathan Spector when Clint Dempsey's header beat Green.

Fulham's best chance fell to Chris Baird with thirteen minutes remaining, but having got himself into a great position to attack a free-kick from the right he couldn't keep his header down.

Both managers were able to welcome back players from long-term injuries towards the end of the second half, and there was loud applause for both Fulham's Jimmy Bullard and the home side's Julien Faubert as they made their way onto the field.

Alan Curbishley's men managed to nullify Fulham's threat with some well-supported attacks of their own as the game ebbed towards full-time, but were given a minor scare in injury time when Bullard saw his low shot from the edge of the area deflected wide.

Tom Williams / Eurosport