Sam Allardyce saw his side move to the top of the table

Championship:Blackpool 1 West Ham United 4

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Blackpool 1 West Ham United 4

West Ham blasted their way back to the top of the Championship with a drama-drenched victory at Bloomfield Road that saw goalkeeper Robert Green sent off and midfielder Henri Lansbury keep the Hammers goal intact.

The Seasiders looked destined to grab at least a point when Green felled Roman Bednar outside his area and was given a straight red card with 35 minutes still to go. And with no keeper on the bench it was left to Arsenal loanee Lansbury to step between the posts.

It was 2-1 at that point, but incredibly the West Ham rearguard protected their makeshift goalkeeper superbly to the point where the best chances fell to the visitors.

Ricardo Vaz Te went close with a thumping shot, but on 74 minutes the Hammers scored a third and decisive goal.

Mark Noble’s corner caused chaos in the Blackpool defence and when it was cleared only as far as substitute Gary O’Neil he thumped the rebound back into the corner of the net.

Nicky Maynard could have added to the tally when he was put through only to stab the ball wide, but right on full time West Ham rubbed salt into the wound when Vaz Te thumped in a shot from the edge of the area which was deflected into the net to make it 4-1.

It had been a superb first-half display of Premier League class which saw them cruise into a two-goal lead, only for their efforts to be tarnished somewhat when Kevin Phillips headed the Tangerines back into the game right on half time.

Manager Sam Allardyce had opted to give Maynard his first start with Carlton Cole on the bench and his pace quickly tested the Blackpool defence.

As early as the first minute the lively Julien Faubert stormed down the right and delivered a cross that was headed just over by Ricardo Vaz Te, before Maynard put in Faubert only for the ball to run away from him.

West Ham were totally dominant and went close again when Maynard cleverly turned his man in the area, but took a touch to many before seeing his shot deflected wide, while from the corner Abdoulaye Faye somehow headed over with the goal at is mercy.

It looked like that elusive first goal might never come as Maynard nodded down George McCartney’s cross and Faubert blazed over on 25 minutes, but three minutes later West Ham were deservedly in front.

Mark Noble delivered a free kick from the right and James Tomkins rose highest to blast a header into the net.

Four minutes later they doubled the lead. This time Jack Collison combined well with Joey O’Brien on the right edge of the box and when it came to Collison on the by-line, he crossed low for Maynard to flick in his first goal for the club.

With Faye and Winston Reid dominant at the back and James Tomkins playing well in midfield it seemed that West Ham would cruise to victory, but Blackpool had other ideas.

Manager Ian Holloway threw on striker Phillips and the move worked a treat right oin half time. Matt Phillips’ cross from the left looked merely hopeful, but his namesake got in front of Reid and picked his spot with a firm header.

Blackpool started the second half with two fresh substitutes and some attacking endeavour and when Green rushed out of goal to floor Bednar and reduce West Ham to 10 men for the third consecutive game, it looked like the writing was on the wall.

Lansbury’s cool performance and O’Neil’s crisp finish made sure that did not happen and West Ham went back to the top of the league the hard way.

West Ham: Green, O’Brien, McCartney, Reid, Faye (O’Neil), Faubert (Lansbury), Tomkins, Noble, Collison, Vaz Te, Maynard (Cole).

Subs: Baldock, Cole, Lansbury, O’Neil, Potts.

Referee: Oliver Langford