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Three late goals could not prevent Burnley from suffering a 5-3 defeat at the hands of West Ham in the Premier League at Upton Park.

First-half goals from Jack Collison, Junior Stanislas and Carlton Cole effectively saw Gianfranco Zola's side pull away from the lower echelons of the table as the visitors' shoddy defending was punished.

Guillermo Franco made it four shortly after half-time, with substitute Luis Jimenez adding a fifth with the hosts' second penalty as Burnley endured a torrid afternoon and their pitiful away record was further exacerbated.

Steven Fletcher then netted a consolation brace within six minutes to reduce the deficit as West Ham's defence became crippled with complacency, but the damage had already been inflicted.

Steven Caldwell was shown a straight red card for hauling down jet-heeled substitute Zavon Hines in stoppage time, but it had little bearing on an already emphatic result - as did Chris Eagles's tap-in for Burnley's third a minute later.

Owen Coyle's side have now increased their goals-against tally to 25 in six matches on the road, and have now not beaten the Hammers in their last 10 meetings in all competitions.

Collison was sprightly throughout from his midfield berth wide on the right, and he opened the scoring in the 18th minute with a clinical finish past Brian Jensen from Scott Parker's quick free-kick.

Parker skippered the side in Matthew Upson's absence and the midfielder was typically industrious as he won an attacking throw which led to the second goal on 34 minutes.

Jonathan Spector found Franco on the edge of the Burnley area and he chested the ball down exquisitely before finding Stanislas in space. The winger's initial effort was parried by Jensen, but only back into his path - and he made no mistake with the follow-up.

The contest was effectively extinguished two minutes before half-time as Cole - minutes after sustaining a knock - dispatched a penalty following Spector's surging run into the box which saw Robbie Blake haul down the defender.

Burnley started the match the brighter with a promising spell of possession, but the Hammers were rewarded for their direct and potent breaks, mainly through Stanislas and Collison.

Zola seized the opportunity to make changes at half-time with his side in complete command, and the Italian introduced Hines to replace the injury-stricken Cole.

In the 51st minute, Stephen Jordan up-ended Collison and Stanislas made the visitors' afternoon even more difficult from the resulting free-kick.

The 19-year-old whipped over a devilish delivery which left Clarke Carlisle and Caldwell flat-footed, and Franco rose to head home from close range.

Burnley substitute David Nugent should have reduced the arrears on the hour-mark after he stole in behind Danny Gabbidon, but headed wide of Robert Green's near post from Graham Alexander's pinpoint cross.

West Ham were much more clinical and, after another marauding run and through ball from Parker, Jimenez - just minutes after coming on as a substitute - drew a rash challenge from Jensen to win the second spot kick.

The Chilean picked himself up to send the goalkeeper the wrong way, just as Cole had before him, with the visiting fans streaming out of the exits.

Fletcher then made his mark with two opportunist strikes from a combined distance of about 15 yards as winger Eagles whipped over two incisive crosses from the left which scythed through the hosts' defensive line.

Hines would be entitled to feel aggrieved after having two blatant penalty appeals rejected by Chris Foy, but the referee perhaps felt he had awarded his full allocation for the afternoon.

Caldwell, who tripped Hines for the second vociferous appeal, was shown the red card by Foy in stoppage time after tugging the shirt of the same player, before Eagles grabbed a third goal from close range to give the scoreline a misleading appearance.

The victory was only West Ham's second at Upton Park in this Premier League campaign, and it enables Zola's side to pull away from Bolton, who are now two points adrift in 18th spot.

Dan Quarrell / Eurosport