New West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola watched from the stands as his team slumped to a 3-2 defeat to Premiership new boys West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.

West Brom had taken an early lead through James Morrison in the third minute but West Ham recovered well enough to first equalize through Mark Noble while seven minutes later Lucas Neill put them in the lead. However it lasted just two minutes as Roman Bednar equalized for West Brom before Chris Brunt scored the winner seven minutes from full time.

Still searching for their first win of the new season, West Brom started the match on the attack right from the kick off and were rewarded three minutes into the match when Borja Valero found Morrison with a great cross and the striker was left with a simple header from close range.

West Ham defense was looking all over the place and the hosts should have doubled the lead with both Bednar and Robert Koren having great chances of hitting the back of the net but somehow managed to miss the target.

West Ham made them pay for the mistakes in space of seven minutes when Noble equalized in the 28th minute with a simple tap in and Neill converted Matthew Upson's header from close range. Seven minutes later, West Ham took the lead with Davenport cushioning a header into the path of Lucas Neill who made no mistake from close rage.

West Ham's lead lasted for all of two minutes before the Baggies equalized through Bednar from the penalty spot after Barnett was fouled inside the area by Robert Green. West Brom continued to create chances in the second half with Bednar going close to scoring his second goal of the match but was denied by a point blank save by Green.

With time running out, West Brom grabbed the winner in the 81st minute when Robinson played in Brunt with a great pass and the midfielder coolly slotted home the ball to collect all three points for his side.