West Ham extended their 100 per cent away record in the Championship with a 4-1 win at Nottingham Forest this afternoon.

The Hammers punished Forest in a clinical first half hour where they netted three times without reply. Luke Chambers’ own goal opened the scoring midway through the half and captain Kevin Nolan quickly doubled the lead.

Forest had plenty of chances of their own but Robert Green was in fine form and the Irons stunned the home side when Carlton Cole headed them 3-0 up with just a third of the match gone.

The home side did not look as dangerous during the second half but the least they deserved, for their efforts, was a goal. This came with 20 minutes left when Robbie Findley found the net. But this was quickly cancelled out by the Hammers’ fourth goal as Winston Reid sealed another away win.

Scott Parker could have played his last game for the Hammers after he was left out of the side. The England midfielder is holding transfer talks with Spurs over a possible move and his place in the side was taken by Julien Faubert.

Herita Ilunga also missed the trip to the City Ground, with a slight groin injury, which meant George McCartney made his first league start since rejoining the Irons.

The visitors created the first opportunity after four minutes when Cole backheeled the ball but Faubert’s low shot hit the side netting.

Forest threatened for the first time when Lewis McGugan’s corner was headed just past Robert Green’s post by Findley.

The hosts almost broke the deadlock when the lively McGugan cut inside and lashed a strike from outside the box just over the Hammers’ crossbar.

Forest again came so close to opening the scoring but Chris Cohen’s curling free-kick, from outside the area, was superbly pushed round the post by Green.

The home side were on top but against the run of play, after 21 minutes, the Hammers scored the opening goal. Matt Taylor picked up the ball on the edge of the area and his low cross was turned into his own net by Chambers.

West Ham stunned the home fans by doubling their lead within three minutes. Taylor’s corner was knocked on by James Tomkins and Nolan managed to head the ball in from close range.

Forest responded superbly and had two golden chances from the restart to get back in the match. First, Ishmael Miller was clear on goal but slid his attempt wide of the target. But just seconds later, McGugan’s volley was brilliantly saved by England keeper Green.

The Hammers surely put the match beyond Forest with the third goal after 31 minutes when Joey O’Brien’s cross was flicked on by Reid and Cole nodded home.

It was a head scratching scoreline because Forest had enjoyed as many opportunities as the Hammers. But whereas the visitors had produced a clinical performance in front of goal, Steve McClaren’s side were paying the price for wastefulness and some terrible defending.

It should have been 4-0 just before the break when the ball was laid on to Nolan but the former Newcastle midfielder inexplicably fired wide of Lee Camp’s post.

The hosts created another great opportunity through Miller but the bulky striker’s powerful effort narrowly missed the target.

Forest almost conceded a fourth goal at the start of the second half when Faubert fired in a shot which was deflected just past the post.

McClaren’s side were looking less threatening during the second half and it was no surprise when he introduced Andy Reid and Matt Derbyshire after 64 minutes of the game.

Cole, who enjoyed an excellent afternoon, was replaced by Frederic Piquionne midway through the second half.

Nottingham Forest deservedly got on the scoresheet with 20 minutes remaining when Findley tucked away substitute Joel Lynch’s cross.

The visitors made another change after 75 minutes when Abdoulaye Faye was brought on in place of Jack Collison.

The Irons sealed the points 13 minutes from time when Taylor’s cross fell into the path of centre-back Reid and he kept his composure to score from close range.

Nottingham Forest: Camp; Gunter, Morgan, Chambers, Cohen; Majewski (Derbyshire, 64), Boateng (Lynch, 58), Greening, McGugan (A Reid, 64); Findley, Miller

West Ham: Green; Reid, McCartney, Tomkins, O’Brien; Nolan, Collison (Faye,75), Taylor, Noble, Faubert; Cole (Piquionne, 68)

Referee: G Salisbury