West Ham 2 West Brom 1 - Report and pictures

Thanks to James McClean's superb solo effort in the first half, it looked like 2018 might bring the end of that club-record run, and against all the odds too.

West Ham had an extra five days to prepare for this fixture than the Baggies, but it was the visitors who took the lead after half an hour.

But David Moyes's side levelled just before the hour mark with a trademark, towering Carroll header.

And then after substitute Oliver Burke wasted a one-on-one to win it, West Ham's No.9 swept home a cruel winner with virtually the last kick of the game.

It was a tense evening at the London Stadium, and West Ham fans clashed with Jake Livermore and other members of the Baggies dug-out in the second half. But it was the hosts who had the last laugh.

With two games in three days, Pardew was forced into several changes, replacing elder statesmen like Chris Brunt and Gareth Barry with the fresher legs of James McClean and Grzegorz Krychowiak.

Claudio Yacob also came into the side and Salomon Rondon returned from his tweaked hamstring ahead of schedule.

Matt Phillips was supposed to start but the winger injured himself in the warm up and had to be replaced last-minute by Jake Livermore, who was initially due to be rested.

That forced Pardew to reshuffle his formation, and play Jay Rodriguez wide right of a five-man midfield.

Moyes had much more time to prepare, and he loaded his side with all his big hitters like Andy Carroll, the in-form Marko Arnautovic and the tricky Manuel Lanzini.

And it was the Hammers who started the game on top, zipping the ball around while the Baggies took time to settle.

Nine minutes in they wanted a penalty when Cheikhou Kouyate went down while Kieran Gibbs had his arms wrapped around him, but even though it was unwise of the left-back, the West Ham midfielder's fall was too theatrical and referee Mike Jones said no.

But Albion started to settle into their hastily-rejigged formation after that, and five minutes later Salomon Rondon nearly chipped Adrian from range.

The Venezuelan rolled Angelo Ogbonna with ease 25 yards out and spotted the Hammers keeper off his line, but his clever effort landed on the roof of the net.

Livermore was the most advanced od Albion's central midfield trio, and seemed to be charged with putting pressure on Kouyate and Aaron Cresswell, but the hosts were finding it easy to control possession.

Lanzini was West Ham's most dangerous player and he forced Ben Foster into the first save of the game after 20 minutes, lashing an effort goalwards from 15 yards out after initially slipping Pablo Zabaleta in behind James McClean.

The Baggies were dawdling on the ball too much, and were nearly made to pay for it when Andy Carroll curled over after Kouyate caught Yacob in possession on the edge of his own box.

McClean had a long-range effort soon after that Adrian dealt with comfortably, but the winger was by far Albion's most threatening outlet in the first half.

And he made it count on the half-hour mark with the sort of typical breakaway goal he scores for Ireland.

After playing a one-two with Rondon in his own half, the winger ran at Winston Reid before cutting inside him with purpose.

He ignored an opportunity to slip Livermore in and instead checked back onto his favoured left foot before trying his luck from 25 yards.

His luck was in, because his shot hit Ogbonna's foot and looped in over Adrian's head to give the Baggies the lead.

Albion grew in confidence after that but West Ham were still creating chances, and it wasn't long until the fleet-footed Lanzini brought Foster into an even better save.

Having plucked the ball out of the air superbly, Lanzini twisted past Craig Dawson before sending a shot destined for the bottom corner, only to see Foster get down smartly and push it away.

Albion's No.1 was called into action again soon after when he bravely jumped forward to push away Carroll's knock-down despite Kouyate's boots flying in at speed.

He wasn't the only man in red and white having good games. McClean and Rodriguez were brilliant on the wings, and Rondon was holding up the ball well.

Moyes switched to a back four at half-time, replacing Obiang with club captain Mark Noble, and they nearly equalised straight away when Carroll got in front of Dawson and put Arnautovic's cross over from eight yards out.

West Ham's big No.9 wasn't to be denied for long however, and he levelled things up shortly before the hour mark with a trademark header from a devilish Aaron Cresswell cross from the byline.

Carroll had the run on Jonny Evans and Kieran Gibbs and he climbed a good foot higher than Albion's defenders before powering his unstoppable header past Foster.

That goal changed the atmosphere in the London Stadium, and tensions were riding high down by the sideline where stewards were called in to deal with some commotion between West Ham fans and the Baggies dug-out.

Pardew sent Hal Robson-Kanu and Oliver Burke on in search of a goal, and the pacy 20-year-old was handed a gilt-edged chance when Rondon sent him clear through on goal from inside his own half.

Burke couldn't get the ball out of his feet though, and Ogbonna recovered in time to block his shot.

Although the visitors huffed and puffed for the rest of the game, and played some nice football in the middle of the park, that was their biggest chance to win it.

Burke had another opportunity in the final minute but he volleyed over under pressure.

And that's been the difference between Albion and their rivals all season. They don't take their chances.

A minute later, Carroll was sweeping the ball home at the back stick to send the London Stadium into raptures and leave Albion players dejected. Again.

Key moments

30 GOAL ALBION - McClean breaks away at speed, cuts inside Reid, and unleashes a long-range effort that deflects off Ogbonna and loops in over Adrian.

59 GOAL WEST HAM - Carroll thumps home a trademark header from a swinging Cresswell cross.

90+4 GOAL WEST HAM - Carroll sweeps home a cross at the back stick.

Man of the match

Andy Carroll - Scored both of West Ham's goals.

Position in the table

19th, with 16 points from 22 games

Teams

West Ham (3-5-2): Adrian; Reid (c), Ogbonna, Cresswell (Rice 76); Zabaleta, Lanzini, Obiang, Kouyate, Masuaku (Chicharito 73); Carroll, Arnautovic. Unused subs: Hart, Quina, Haksabanovic, Noble, Ayew.

Albion (4-4-2): Foster; Dawson, Hegazi, Evans (c), Gibbs; Rodriguez, Livermore (Robson-Kanu 65), Yacob (Barry 84), Krychowiak, McClean; Rodriguez (Burke 71), Rondon. Unused subs: Myhill, McAuley, Brunt, Field.

Referee: Mike Jones

Attendance: 56,888