Super sub Tomas Soucek inspired West Ham to a second consecutive win after they sank fellow strugglers Burnley 3-2.
The Czech midfielder climbed off the bench to score for the second match running, and created a third for Kyle Walker-Peters, as the Hammers made it back-to-back Premier League victories for the first time since February.
Burnley, who had led through Zian Flemming before Callum Wilson equalised, pulled one back with the final kick of the match through Josh Cullen.
So poor was their start to the season that six points from two matches is still not enough to lift West Ham out of the bottom three, but they are at least now level with 17th-placed Burnley.
Another weekend meant another protest by West Ham's fans against the club’s board, this time a good few thousand marching from Stratford station along the miserable service road to the stadium.
There was at least less to complain about on the pitch – West Ham had ended a six-match winless run by beating Newcastle last weekend.
But Burnley settled quickly and almost took the lead when Quilindschy Hartman got beyond Aaron Wan-Bissaka down the left and cushioned a volley across goal which Flemming just failed to connect with.
The Clarets have had the fewest shots of any top-flight team so far this season, but boast the second-highest conversion rate, a stat backed up when they scored with their only effort on target of the first half.
Once again, West Ham’s defending left much to be desired, with Flemming left completely unmarked to head in an inviting cross from Lesley Ugochukwu.
Yet West Ham should have enough in attack to negate the flaws in their backline this season, and the equaliser arrived two minutes before half-time when Dutch winger Crysencio Summerville darted into the penalty area.
His low shot flicked the heel of Burnley defender Maxime Esteve and sat up perfectly for Wilson, stationed at the far post, to nod into an empty net.
Burnley threatened first in the second half with Flemming again the target, this time the Dutchman heading a cross from Jaidon Anthony over the top.
Little was going right for the Hammers until, from a 77th-minute corner, Lucas Paqueta controlled the ball with his chest and tried an audacious curler.
Clarets keeper Martin Dubravka palmed the shot away but Soucek was lurking at the far post to bundle the ball home.
Three minutes before full-time Soucek strode forward and shot from 20 yards, with Dubravka spilling the strike and full-back Walker-Peters sliding in to convert the rebound.
There was still time for former Hammers youngster Cullen to profit from Alphonse Areola’s handling error to pull one back for Burnley deep into stoppage time, but the final whistle prevented any further jeopardy for West Ham.
Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane supplemented Everton's misfiring attack in a 2-0 win which extended Fulham’s woes on the road to a fifth successive match.
With the Toffees’ two strikers Beto and Thierno Barry scoring just one Premier League goal between them so far this season, there is an imperative for others to chip in.
But in a team boasting the attacking talents of Jack Grealish, Iliman Ndiaye and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall it was their defensive midfielder and centre-back who made the difference.
The two teams had scored just 22 between them in 20 combined Premier League matches so the first goal was important and Gueye’s intervention, in the fourth minute of first-half added time, was even more crucial as an offside flag denied Everton on three occasions in a match they should have won more comfortably.
Gueye stabbed home his second of the campaign after Tim Iroegbunam had completely fluffed his shot in front of goal from a James Tarkowski header which rebounded off the crossbar.
After failing to score at all last season, Gueye is well on his way to beat his best return of four in an Everton shirt from 2023-24.
Keane flicked home a Dewsbury-Hall corner with 10 minutes to go to banish any late anxiety.
They were contributions gratefully received by boss David Moyes, whose side ended a run of one win in eight matches in all competitions.
Moyes gave a vote of confidence to Barry, starting back-to-back league matches for the first time, after his glaring miss at Sunderland on Monday.
The 23-year-old’s pace and movement continue to offer potential but, unfortunately, he does not yet look like he has the physicality required for a top-flight striker.
After sending a seventh-minute header high and wide he thought he had ended his wait for a first goal when Ndiaye flicked on a Gueye cross for him to convert at the far post but the first offside flag dashed his hopes.
Dewsbury-Hall was Everton’s brightest attacking prospect although he, too, could not unlock the Cottagers – but it seemed a set-piece might when Tarkowski volleyed home after Keane’s header was parried, only for the flag to go up again.
Sasa Lukic, lucky to escape a second caution for the repeat offence of hauling down Dewsbury-Hall, was replaced by Josh King for the second half but it made little difference with Dewsbury-Hall the third to have a goal chalked off for offside.
England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford stuck out a foot to deny substitute Rodrigo Muniz, who was replaced himself just 17 minutes after coming on, in a rare Fulham chance before Keane wrapped things up to leave the visitors just a point above the bottom three.
Watch the Sports Direct FAI Cup final, Shamrock Rovers v Cork City, on Sunday from 2pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on the RTÉ News App and on rte.ie/sport. Listen to live commentary on Sunday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1
