AT THE end, West Ham’s young captain Nigel Reo-Coker disrobed and, swinging his shirt above his head, skipped off towards his team’s fans. The prize landed in the front row, grabbed by a man already clad in a West Ham shirt. Alongside him a boy who couldn’t have been more than six stared up in awe. Perhaps it was his son.

The kid nudged his minder, asking to see the shirt, wanting to check the name on the back. When it was spread before him, he nodded at the wonder of it all and the man patted him on the head. How happy were they? The match had been terrific, their Hammers exceeded all expectations and there was the crumpled tunic to take home.

West Ham were very good. Chris Coleman, the losing manager, came to the inquest afterwards and spoke like he’d just come from a wedding. “Best London derby I’ve been involved in . . . great football. If this had been last season, we would have been hammered by three or four.”

Marlon Harewood scored West Ham’s two goals, to add to the three he got against Aston Villa five days before. The second was officially recorded as a Tony Warner own goal as Harewood’s shot cannoned off the post, on to Warner’s head and into the back of the net. For his swift turn and strike the forward deserved the credit.

The goals came in the early minutes of the second half and put West Ham into a formidable position. Fulham’s best player, Luis Boa Morte, got his team’s goal with 24 minutes remaining and it was in that final quarter that one fully appreciated West Ham’s quality. They defended their advantage calmly and won comfortably. The siege you might have expected from the home side never happened.

It isn’t meant to be like this for promoted teams. The week began with a four-goal thrashing of Aston Villa and ended with a second splendid victory over another established Premiership team. Two games, six goals, six points.

Alan Pardew knows his football and without the imminent threat of dismissal, his quality has come through. His team plays good football, players work for each other, they don’t moan endlessly at the referee and their behaviour was exemplary. Matthew Etherington, Hayden Mullins and especially Reo-Coker can all play in midfield, Harewood is in the form of his life and Paul Konchesky is clearly enjoying the West Ham way.

The little revolution is, however, not so much about individuals as attitude. The team plays without inhibition; they are not afraid to get forward, nor are they afraid to make mistakes.

Reo-Coker is interesting. At the age of 21 he has found himself promoted to be captain of a Premiership team and risen to the responsibility. From a mile away you can see how he inspires those around him and how leadership suits him. He sniped at Fulham’s midfield, let them know he wouldn’t be bossed and when the yellow card came, he accepted it and watched his manners thereafter.

There were plenty contributing to West Ham’s cause. Roy Carroll, Manchester United’s old goalkeeper, was in fine form, making excellent saves from Claus Jensen and Brian McBride in the first 12 minutes. As the game progressed, the Hammers’ exuberance began to count for more than Fulham’s experience.

Harewood struck the underside of the crossbar after getting on the end of Bobby Zamora’s flick and soon after the restart, the strikers again combined to score the game’s opening goal.

This time Zamora’s flick went to Harewood, who produced the deftest of touches to work the ball around Zat Knight. “He is showing some really subtle bits of ability and skill,” said Pardew of Harewood after the match.

Even so, after getting clear of Knight, Harewood still had to score and in lifting the ball over Warner, he showed admirable composure. The second followed soon afterwards. Etherington made the cross, Harewood had time but his crisp shot struck the post, ricocheted on to Warner’s head and ended up in the net.

Fulham upped the tempo and Boa Morte’s goal was magnificently executed. That gave them a chance and all they lacked was the ability to dominate less experienced opponents. Not for a moment did West Ham consider circling the wagons. They played as if the game was scoreless and in being positive, they gave their rivals hardly a glimpse of goal.

From where, you wondered afterwards, has their lack of inhibition come? “We consciously went out and bought young players,” explained Pardew. “A couple of them are wide London boys and they’re enjoying this.” Long may it be so. Next up in the Premiership, the Hammers have the Gunners at Upton Park. Wide boys from north London had better beware.

STAR MAN: Nigel Reo-Coker (West Ham)

Player ratings. Fulham: Warner 5, Volz 5, Knight 6 (Christanval 80min, 5), Bocanegra 5, N Jensen 6, Malbranque 6, C Jensen 5, Diop 6, Boa Morte 7, McBride 6, Radzinski 4 (John 67min, 5)

West Ham: Carroll 7, Repka 6, Ferdinand 6, Gabbidon 7, Konchesky 6, Mullins 7, Reo-Coker 8, Etherington 7, Benayoun 5 (Sheringham 74min, 6), Harewood 7 (Aliadiere 87min, 6), Zamora 6 (Newton 64min, 6)

Scorers: Fulham: Boa Morte 66

West Ham: Harewood 46, Warner 52 og

Referee: G Poll

Attendance: 21,907

Explore Football

• Premier League

• Football League

• Scotland

• European Football

• International Football

• TheGame

• Live Match Tracker

• The Fink Tank

• Fantasy Football