James Collins and Di Michele are delighted with West Ham's opener
Goals from David Di Michele and Carlton Cole helped West Ham cruise past a very disappointing Hull City at Upton Park.
Di Michele scored an early opener, scooping in at the back post after Matt Duke kept out Cole's low shot.
Hull's debutant keeper was in fine form and saved Mark Noble's penalty after Cole was felled by Sam Ricketts.
Debutant Jimmy Bullard and Daniel Cousin had Hull's best chances, but West Ham dominated and Cole scored the second after Duke kept out Di Michele.
Both teams had new faces to parade, but Hull's Bullard - a �5m signing from Fulham - and Savio Nsereko - an arrival from Brescia and receiving clearance to play hours before kick-off - both had to start by warming the bench.
With Hull looking to avoid a sixth successive league defeat, manager Phil Brown said ahead of the game he was desperate for a clean sheet and opted for Duke instead of Boaz Myhill in goal.
Making his Premier League debut the Hull keeper did not let his boss down.
Duke had his left post to thank for keeping out Di Michele's delightful curling shot, but seconds later Howard Webb pointed to the spot after the lively Cole was bundled over by Ricketts.
Upstepped Noble but his powerful shot was brilliantly palmed away by Duke diving to his left.
With the 19-year-old forward Nsereko looking on through the London drizzle, Cole and Di Michele - on loan from Torino - were playing like strikers determined to keep their places and both were involved in the opener.
We could have scored more - Zola
Cole's low shot from the left side of the box was well saved by Duke, but the ball squirmed into the path of Di Michelle who powered the rebound into the roof of the net.
It was a thoroughly deserved strike, although a brief lapse in concentration at the back allowed Manucho the space to nod Cousin's cross into the grateful hands of Rob Green.
It was a sea of claret and blue powering forward for the rest of the half with the visiting players looking desperately short of confidence and spirit.
Hull's woodwork was involved again just before half-time with Di Michele crossing in for Jack Collison who slammed his shot onto the left post.
Hull started the second half brightly, with Cousin continuing to cause a nuisance and he should have done better with a header from five yards.
All hope of a resurgence after the interval from Hull was decimated on 49 minutes and it was West Ham's magical strike partnership working their magic again.
Hull's man-marking was nowhere following a Noble free-kick and Di Michele, lurking dangerously on the edge of the box, picked up the loose ball.
A difficult night - Brown
The 33-year-old's shot rebounded sideways off the right post and, with Duke left stranded, Cole was at the back post to bury the ball into the net.
Brown had to make changes and on came Bullard for the first time in a Hull shirt. Within three minutes his 25-yard shot was stinging the hands of Green, who palmed the ball away.
Cole had more chances to add to his tally, as did Di Michele, who could have scored six on the night if it had not been for Duke's heroics.
Nsereko finally made his appearance, coming on for Di Michele with five minutes remaining, but the damage had been done.
West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola: "Today was very, very good but the good thing about this team is that every game we play seems to be the best game. It was a great match today - a difficult match, but we played fantastically well.
"What pleased me was the attitude, they didn't want to lose a challenge and they were chasing back."
Hull boss Phil Brown: "It's been a very difficult night. We came up against team full of confidence.
"Zola's got them playing football with belief and we have to get back to playing like that."
West Ham: Green, Neill, Collins, Upson, Ilunga, Behrami, Parker, Collison (Faubert 71), Noble (Boa Morte 84), Di Michele (Nsereko 86), Cole.
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
Bookmark with:
What are these?