Cole on a high

Carlton Cole was delighted for his fellow scorers after watching Valon Behrami and Julien Faubert score their first goals at the Boleyn Ground.

Behrami set West Ham United on their way to a vital 3-0 Barclays Premier League victory over Hull City with a calm finish within the opening two-and-a-half minutes. Faubert then put the icing on the cake with an unstoppable, 25-yard screamer deep into added time at the end of the second half.

In between, Cole had netted his ninth goal of the season with a neat finish from the Frenchman's inch-perfect through ball.

"Valon took his goal well and could have got a hat-trick," said Cole. "Everyone was up for it before the game and we followed the manager's instructions.

"Julien has been fantastic. He's been on fire recently. He's set up my last two goals and he got his goal, and fair play to him. I'm so happy for the lad. He's been through a lot recently, with his Mum passing away, so I'm well pleased for him.

"As I said before the game in a pre-match interview, the boys were up for this one and that the manager had got everyone up before the game, and we all responded in the right way."

Saturday's success marked a second consecutive home victory for the Hammers, following the 2-0 win over Birmingham City ten days previously. Cole will now prepare for Tuesday's trip to face champions Manchester United at Old Trafford,

"Home form is vital for us. We got a lot of home games coming up and we've got to keep on winning and get the victories that we need.

"We are sharper and have more energy. Everything is going in righ direction and tyo can't ask for much more. Before, I think we were a bit unlucky. Some results could have gone our way and didn't and we went on a bad run.

"That can happen in the Premier League - if you don't put teams to bed early like we did today, it can come back to haunt you."

Cole was pleased to net for the second straight home game, but admitted that he had not enjoyed his best game in a claret and blue shirt against the Tigers.

With the likes of Ilan and Mido available on the substitutes' bench, the England striker knows he has to keep scoring if he is to maintain his place in Gianfranco Zola's starting lineup.

"I'm getting games following my injury, but I don't think I played that well, by my own standards. I got my goal, though and in some ways it covered up my performance.

"We've got a massive game coming up at Manchester United on Tuesday, but I looked at the bench today and we've got an array of attacking options, so the manager has the choice to bring me off if I'm not playing too well, like he did today.

"We go to Old Trafford and it's going to be tough, but we've won our last two games and anything can happen."