WEST HAM were spared their blushes thanks to a stoppage time Junior Stanislas goal but the strike could not mask the frailties that cost the team three points against ten-man Fulham.

Carlton Cole nodded the Hammers ahead only for the goal to be cancelled out by a Danny Murphy penalty and a Zoltan Gera strike after the Cottagers had debutant Kagisho Dikgacoi sent off. Stanislas' late intervention rescued a point for the hosts after an afternoon of drama at Upton Park.

Cole fired a volley over the bar with West Ham's first attack of the game, but any suggestion that that was going to be a sign of things to come were quickly quelled, as two sides burdened by poor early season form and a desperate need for a win played just as one would expect.

Possession was surrendered readily by both teams, but after some nervy exchanges it was the hosts who began to threaten.

Alessandro Diamanti saw his left-footed shot sail into the Sir Trevor Brooking stand, but the next effort on goal was to be significantly more accurate.

After Julien Faubert was felled by Fulham's Brede Hangeland, the Italian swung a devilish ball into the box and Cole rose highest to plant his header into the top corner.

Tomkins couldn't do the same from another impressive Diamanti delivery, but things were starting to look bright for the home team.

However, with their first chance of the match, Fulham should have drawn level. Murphy's quick free-kick found the run of Andy Johnson, but the striker, bearing down on goal, could only drag his shot harmlessly wide of Robert Green's far post.

As the half wore on, West Ham started to gain a stranglehold on the game, and the man they call the Wizard began to pull out the party tricks.

Luis Jiminez, operating alongside Scott Parker and Mark Noble in the centre of midfield, became the best link to the front three of Diamanti, Cole and Zavon Hines up front.

The Chilean international almost orchestrated a second goal for the hosts, as he first plucked a ball out of the sky with the deftest of touches, before lofting a ball into the path of Cole, although the striker was eventually crowded out by a combination of Hangeland and former Hammer John Pantsil.

Fulham were at the Hammers' mercy, and that notion was further supported by the half's major talking point.

Parker and South African Kagisho Dikgacoi, making his debut for the Cottagers, clashed off the ball and, after a lengthy consultation with his linesman, referee Phil Dowd gave the Fulham man his marching orders, after initially booking the two players.

The momentum was with West Ham, and Hines came within a whisker of doubling his side's lead but his curling effort missed the upright by inches after he had been cleverly put through by Cole.

It looked like it was going to be a cakewalk for the Hammers after the break, but football has a habit of biting you on the backside.

Never has the phrase 'it's a funny old game' been more apt.

No sooner had the home side settled into their second half positions, than Fulham were given the opportunity to draw level.

Matthew Upson, unusually out of sorts at the back after coming back into the side, hauled Diomancy Kamara to the ground with barely a minute of the second period played, and Dowd duly pointed to the spot.

Up stepped Murphy, who made no mistake to make it 1-1.

No matter, thought the West Ham faithful, there's plenty of time to pull this back. Think again.

Just ten minutes later and Gianfranco Zola's men were behind. This time though, it was the fault of England number one Green.

The keeper did well to tip Paul Konchesky's free-kick wide, but he made a serious misjudgement from the resulting corner. Attempting to punch the defender's cross clear, he succeeded only in grasping at fresh air, and the ball found its way to the grateful Zoltan Gera at the back post to stab home.

It was an incredible turnaround, but the drama hadn't finished yet.

West Ham swarmed forward in droves, but there was no end product and few chances to speak of, with Diamanti coming closest with several long-distance pot shots.

However, the pressure eventually told and it came from an amazing slice of luck.

Junior Stanislas - having been thrown on for Hines in the hope of grabbing an equaliser – was largely ineffective during his cameo appearance, but he eventually made the telling difference.

The ball was sifted along the edge of the box and back, searching for an opening, and when it didn't come the young winger took it upon himself to have a bash at goal with just two minutes remaining. That effort was well-struck but Mark Schwarzer looked to have it covered until the ball took a wicked defelction off Aaron Hughes, and span into the open net.

The manager billed the game a 'cup final' before kick-off, but there was no extra-time that the team so desperately needed after the final whistle. A chorus of boos filled the ground afterwards, telling Zola all he needed to know about how the supporters felt.