West Ham striker Marlon Harewood came off the bench to score a late winner against Arsenal as tempers frayed at Upton Park where the Hammers won out 1-0.
Rival managers Alan Pardew and Arsene Wenger were involved in a shoving match on the touchline and Robin van Persie also appeared to be hit by a coin thrown from the crowd during the first half of a bad-tempered game.
At the final whistle Wenger refused to shake Pardew's hand.
The unseemly episode continues the feud between the rival bosses, with Wenger accusing his Hammers counterpart of racism last season following Pardew's comments about the number of foreign players in Arsenal's squad.
A draw appeared likely with the game entering its final minutes, but Harewood finished from close range after Matthew Etherington had won the ball in midfield, earning West Ham back-to-back Premiership wins to prove they are now over their appalling start to the season.
Tomas Rosicky and Van Persie had the visitors' best opportunities but, just like in the Gunners' Champions League clash the previous Tuesday, could not find the finishing touch.
Last season's stalemate in the corresponding fixture was one of the promising results in West Ham's successful campaign, while this victory will give them encouragement as they now have six points from their last two games following eight successive defeats.
Teddy Sheringham, the 40-year-old who breathed life into the Hammers' campaign last week with the opener in the victory over Blackburn, was left on the bench and West Ham struggled initially to create chances for lone striker Bobby Zamora.
However, Etherington was inches from breaking the deadlock in the seventh minute when he picked up a short corner and curled a shot towards the far post, evading his team-mates and deflecting just wide.
Arsenal appeared to be waiting to pounce, despite the efforts of Hammers skipper Nigel Reo-Coker to surge forward.
The Gunners' midweek Champions League draw against CSKA Moscow was characterised by profligacy, and the Gunners continued where they left off on their return to Premiership action.
Hammers goalkeeper Robert Green was called into action in the 13th minutes, tipping Van Persie's effort around the post after Thierry Henry had headed into his path from Rosicky's cross.
Midfielders Gilberto and Rosicky blazed over from long distance as Arsenal looked to get closer to the opener, while Zamora chased and harried with little reward for the hosts.
Thierry Henry was looking to get himself in the game by dropping deep and he embarked on a run that ended with him jumping the advertising hoardings and going into the crowd in the 26th minute.
Rosicky missed a glorious chance two minutes later, latching onto Henry's cushioned pass before drilling a shot wide with just Green to beat.
Jonathan Spector earned a yellow card for a slide on Van Persie, with the Dutch forward getting booked himself later in the first half for a foul.
Van Persie angered the home fans with his confrontational approach on the pitch, and he appeared to be struck by a coin thrown from the crowd in the 38th minute. A policeman was seen on the touchline looking for the object.
The Hammers did have their moments of threat in the opening half. A poor Jens Lehmann's goal-kick went straight to Yossi Benayoun on the right flank, and the midfielder headed wide at the near post after Spector eventually crossed.
Hayden Mullins also had an effort clear the crossbar, but clear opportunities were proving more difficult to create.
Anton Ferdinand, who had appeared to have picked up an ankle injury blocking an Henry shot, was substituted for George McCartney a minute before the break.
West Ham's defence did not seem too troubled by the substitution, and they started the second half brightly.
Lee Bowyer had a tame penalty appeal turned down by referee Rob Styles in the 48th minute, while Benayoun's corner created panic in the visitors' penalty area.
Zamora fired an effort well wide just before the hour mark, but he looked to be in need of a fellow striker to support.
Henry nodded wide at the near post from a corner taken by Van Persie, who was jeered by most of the 34,969 crowd when he was substituted in the 62nd minute for Emmanuel Adebayor.
Sheringham and Harewood were brought off the bench a minute later to replace Bowyer and Zamora, as Hammers boss Pardew looked to go with two strikers in attack.
Sheringham almost made an immediate impact, calmly passing to Mullins on the edge of the area, but the midfielder's shot lacked power.
Spector timed a tackle to perfection when Alexander Hleb raced through on goal, with Arsenal threatening on the counter attack with their pace.
Gael Clichy then tackled Sheringham at the other end when the veteran striker had sight of goal.
Kolo Toure fired an effort just wide at the other end from long distance, but it was Harewood who broke the deadlock with two minutes remaining.
Etherington won the ball in midfield and crossed from the left, with Harewood applying the finish.
The striker was booked for taking his shirt off as he celebrated while Pardew appeared to goad Wenger before the Frenchman pushed him away.
