Everton 1 West Ham United 2: Zamora exploits error as Everton revert to type

Bobby Zamora justifiably received the plaudits for the match-winning goal, his third in as many games , but the West Ham manager Alan Pardew believes his side's Premiership victory at Everton last night will prove to be a landmark in the club's season.

Successive away trips to Birmingham, Blackburn and finally Goodison Park meant that Alan Pardew's side had spent far more time on the M6 than they would have liked, but Zamora continued his scoring run when Everton's Richard Wright failed to deal with Matthew Etherington's low second-half shot when it had appeared likely that the home side would withstand sustained West Ham pressure.

That came after a 19th-minute own goal by the Everton captain David Weir had cancelled out James Beattie's opening goal 10 minutes earlier, but Pardew was far more concerned with his team's overall display to gain a deserved three points.

"It's nice to have nights like this when we play so well and win," he said. "This will be a day I remember for a long time as manager of West Ham United. It's not about me any more, it's about the team and the way we play. This is one of those days when every West Ham fan can walk around with their chest stuck out. We have always looked above us and not below us, and that is why we have been so focused and positive. But tonight was something special, we put on a little bit of a football show tonight."

For Moyes, whose team had drawn 1-1 with Manchester United at Old Trafford last Sunday, it was a completely different story as his players rediscovered old habits to end an impressive run of just one defeat in seven league games.

"We were disappointed with their first goal because it wasn't even a good cross," said Moyes, who will have been pained by the sound of boos echoing around Goodison at the final whistle. "At that time we looked more likely to make it 2-0. But in the end we looked as though Sunday caught up with us. West Ham played well and they are a good side, but we couldn't match them in the second half."

Pardew had been forced into defensive change following Danny Gabbidon's injury during the 3-2 defeat at Blackburn on Saturday and the manager opted to hand James Collins his first Premiership start alongside Anton Ferdinand at the heart of the West Ham defence, ignoring the claims of the more experienced Christian Dailly.

And the manager soon had cause to question the wisdom of that decision as Everton exposed too many weaknesses in the visitors' back-line, with Beattie in particular apparently relishing his chances against such an inexperienced pairing.

Just eight minutes in, Tony Hibbert found room on the right to whip in a low cross that Beattie reached ahead of his marker only to steer the first time effort wide.

That proved to be just a sighter, however, and the striker drew greater reward moments later, this time connecting to a left-wing cross from James McFadden. Pardew will feel aggrieved that the Scot was allowed to progress so easily past the challenge of Yossi Benayoun, but the greater blame lay with Ferdinand for backing off and Collins for allowing himself to be outmuscled by Beattie as the Everton man struck a left-foot shot beyond Roy Carroll.

Seemingly facing a long and painful night, West Ham were unexpectedly dragged back into the game thanks to a horrible slice off Weir's left boot that somehow scooped Tomas Repka's innocuous-looking cross over Richard Wright's head for an 18th-minute equaliser.

The fluke provided the catalyst for West Ham to wrest hold of the game after the break and, after Marlon Harewood appeared to have squandered their chance of three points, Zamora kept a cool head to secure a deserved win.

Everton (4-4-2): Wright; Hibbert (Arteta, 61), Yobo, Weir, Valente; Osman, Neville, Davies, Kilbane (Ferguson, 68); McFadden (Bent, 20), Beattie. Substitutes not used: Turner (gk), Kroldrup.

West Ham United (4-4-2): Carroll; Repka, Ferdinand, Collins, Konchesky; Benayoun, Fletcher, Mullins, Etherington (Dailly, 86); Zamora (Newton, 86), Harewood. Substitutes not used: Hislop (gk), Bellion, Aliadière.

Referee: P Walton (Northamptonshire).