PREM: Southampton 1-3 West Ham

Andy Carroll celebrates his goal for West Ham at Southampton

West Ham claimed their first Premier League victory at St Mary's as they came from behind to seal a deserved 3-1 win over Southampton on Saturday.

West Ham had drawn four and lost three of their previous seven visits to St Mary's, dating back to January 2002. But their third league triumph in four sees them atone for their midweek drubbing against Manchester City and move up to ninth. Southampton drop to 13th.

Gabbiadini's inclusion was one of four changes Claude Puel made following the Saints' midweek defeat at Swansea. After coming on as a substitute against City, Robert Snodgrass made his full West Ham debut, while Cheikhou Kouyate returned from Africa Cup of Nations duty. There was also a swift return to St Mary's for former Southampton defender Jose Fonte.

An edgy opening was swept aside on 12 minutes when Gabbiadini evaded the Hammers' offside trap and, from a tight angle, rifled the ball in off the underside of the bar to cap his debut in style. But the lead would last just two minutes as Carroll spun in behind Jack Stephens to gather Obiang's fine through pass before stroking the ball past the advancing Fraser Forster.

Carroll's fourth goal in his last four Premier League outings exuded confidence for the visitors in an assured first-half display, which was capped by them taking the lead. Having set up Carroll for the equaliser, Obiang got in on the act on the stroke of half-time, drilling home his first West Ham goal beyond Forster via the slightest of Ryan Bertrand deflections.

 

Darren Randolph had to be alert on 48 minutes to prevent James Ward-Prowse's near-post free-kick drawing Saints level as the hosts started the second period strongly. Gabbiadini spurned a great chance to double his tally on 51 minutes, allowing Aaron Cresswell to block his effort. And it proved to be costly as West Ham extended their lead in the next passage of play.

Oriol Romeu tripped Snodgrass on the edge of the Saints area, handing Noble a free-kick in the inside left channel. The Hammers captain lashed the ball into a dangerous area where Saints skipper Steven Davis deflected the already goal-bound effort beyond a stricken Forster.

Gabbiadini had the chance to reduce the arrears immediately but he failed to punish Kouyate's poor clearance on the hour, missing the target from 10 yards. Saints kept searching for a route back into the game but Ward-Prowse, Maya Yoshida and then, at the death, Davis failed to set up a grandstand finish as the Hammers left with the points.