Crystal Palace survived a late push from West Ham United to secure a 3-1 win at Upton Park, despite being reduced to 10 men for the final 20 minutes this afternoon.
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West Ham looked the stronger of the two sides at the start of the match, with Aaron Cresswell curling a cross just behind, while Mark Noble struck the crossbar with a free kick.
The visitors started to see more of the ball as the opening spell progressed, with Jason Puncheon setting up a couple of chances for Glenn Murray, but both times the striker was denied by Adrian.
Murray was involved again just before the break, forcing a corner which he then rose highest in the box to head towards goal, but it was a deflection off Cresswell that saw it past the West Ham keeper.
Alan Pardew's side needed just a few minutes after the restart to double their advantage, with Scott Dann jumping above Winston Reid to capitalise from another corner.
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It could have been three before the hour mark when Mile Jedinak curled in a free kick from 25 yards out, but the Australian's effort was just wide of the target.
Palace did get a third just five minutes later though, and it was another Murray header that caught West Ham out again as he dived in to nod a Puncheon free kick into the bottom corner.
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The hosts pushed to get one back to give themselves some hope, with Nene almost finding the target on his debut, only to have his driven effort from the edge of the box come back off the post.
There would be no chance of a hat-trick for Murray as he was sent off shortly after, picking up his second booking of the afternoon after colliding with Reid.
West Ham started to see more of the ball once the visitors were down to 10 men, and they got a goal back inside the final 15 minutes when Enner Valencia powered the ball past Julian Speroni from the edge of the box after Stewart Downing played it in for the striker.
The Hammers pushed hard to try to reduce the deficit further, with Nene and Carl Jenkinson linking up, but the latter's cross for Diafra Sakho was too powerful for the striker to control.
The hosts continued to pile forward, with Noble attempting to create something for Yannick Bolasie, but Speroni pulled off a save to stop his shot from just a few feet out.
Valencia could have scored his second just a couple of minutes from full time, but Speroni was on hand again to deny the hosts keeping the Ecuador international's effort out of the top corner.
West Ham wanted a penalty from Cheikhou Kouyate took a tumble in the box in stoppage time, but Dann got the ball to deny the midfielder.
The result moves Palace up to 12th in the table, while West Ham stay eighth.
Sian Cowper
