West Ham clinch vital first win under Nuno as Newcastle fade away

West Ham recorded a desperately needed victory and acquired perhaps just a modicum of belief in their battle against relegation as they picked off a surprisingly meek Newcastle in east London.

A Tomas Soucek ram-raid in second-half added time put the seal on a victory that was earned with a determined first-half display, with Nuno Espírito Santo’s face a barometer for his team’s fortunes. From gritting his teeth furiously after a fourth-minute concession, the West Ham manager was smiling by half-time, and roaring as the final whistle blew. Likewise, a crowd that had struggled even to be frustrated earlier in the match, had now found its voice.

The London Stadium was treated to a constant cascade of action in the opening half, though it took the home fans a fair time to warm to what was in front of them. And fair enough, with the opening exchanges explaining any reluctance towards enthusiasm as West Ham almost opened the scoring, only to fall behind some 30 seconds later.

The sequence began with the home side winning possession on the edge of their own box and Crysencio Summerville combining with El Hadji Malick Diouf to drive the ball down the left. The Hammers winger then smuggled the ball infield to Jarrod Bowen – the captain doing what he does and getting his shot off, only to see it cannon off Nick Pope’s left-hand post.

From there, Newcastle re-established possession and pushed straight back up the other end of the pitch. The home side obediently opened up in the process, with the Magpies midfield afforded far too much room and opportunity. The ball ended up at the feet of Jacob Murphy who stood Diouf up, sent him one way then the other, then struck a low effort across goal from the edge of the box that Alphonse Areola was unable to reach.

Tomas Soucek stretches out a leg to poke West Ham’s third goal past Nick Pope and make sure of victory. Photograph: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images

This was an ideal fillip for Eddie Howe’s side, a team with many elite parts who had still not registered an away win since 7 April. The visitors went on to squander any initiative, however, with a lack of urgency in their play soon being exploited by a West Ham side who had their own awful run of form – five defeats in six – to contend with.

In the 11th minute West Ham thought they had a penalty after Bowen was sent tumbling in the box. The move had sprung from assertive play down the right by Aaron Wan-Bissaka and the referee Rob Jones had no hesitation pointing at the spot. But upon reflection, and a fair amount of it, the video assistant referee spotted a tiny touch on the ball by Malick Thiaw before Bowen tumbled and the spot-kick was duly overturned.

West Ham’s head of steam only built from that point, with Lucas Paquetá and Freddie Potts, making his first start some 24 years after his father Steve last played for the Hammers, forcing the Newcastle midfield into errors. Pope had to make two strong saves from Paquetá and Max Kilman before, eventually, West Ham restored parity. After a succession of set pieces, Pope was called on to punch yet another cross clear, but it went only as far as Paquetá who returned a low shot towards the right-hand post. It wasn’t a superlative hit and was within Pope’s reach but the England international barely offered any resistance and the ball pushed past his outstretched arm and into the net.

West Ham then took the lead in added time at the end of the first half. Wan-Bissaka was the source, springing beyond Dan Burn and reaching Paquetá’s looped pass. There weren’t many options in the box, but the full-back’s cross was precise enough to tempt Sven Botman into attempting a clearance, one he placed past a stranded Pope.

At last the home fans were able to muster a round of “come on you Irons” and while the second half saw a lot less action there was definitely more of an atmosphere. Nuno withdrew Callum Wilson for Soucek then Summerville for Kyle Walker-Peters as he sought to shore up his side. The Czech was later found to be marginally offside from a Bowen cross, denying Potts a goal on his full debut. But he turned poacher in added time to bundle home after Bowen and Paquetá had broken clear.