West Ham´s Tristan sinks self-destructing Stoke

West Ham striker Diego Tristan stole a 2-1 win over 10-man Stoke after City striker Ricardo Fuller was sent off for punching his own team-mate at Upton Park on Sunday.

Tristan's first goal for the Hammers was perfectly timed with two minutes to play after Carlton Cole had cancelled out Abdoulaye Faye's early opener for Stoke.

But Tony Pulis' side had only themselves to blame for the result after Fuller was sent off in the second half for taking a swipe at Andy Griffin.

The bizarre flashpoint came just moments after Cole's equaliser as Fuller lost his cool following a row with Griffin over who was responsible for the goal.

West Ham had taken just one point from their last six home games and looked set for more misery in front of their own fans when Stoke scored after four minutes.

Fuller tested goalkeeper Robert Green after capitalising on a sloppy pass from Luis Boa Morte, and from the resulting corner Faye headed home at the far post.

Cole had a glorious chance to equalise immediately after the restart but sidefooted Jack Collison's left-wing cross wide, while Hammers defender Matthew Upson also headed wide in the opening exchanges.

Stoke threatened again when Richard Cresswell's chipped effort forced a stretching save from Green.

The visitors were pushed back after that and keeper Thomas Sorensen did well to claw Herita Ilunga's teasing left-wing cross away from Cole, who had already volleyed over the bar from just inside the box.

Cole then wasted the Hammers' best chance of the half when he headed over following excellent work on the right from David Di Michele.

West Ham piled on the pressure again after half-time and scored a deserved equaliser in the 51st minute.

Cole controlled Scott Parker's chip into the area, got a fortunate deflection and swivelled on the loose ball to curl his shot into the far corner.

Stoke's frustration at conceding boiled over in spectacular fashion as Fuller and Griffin became embroiled in an angry exchange that ended with Fuller being sent off by referee Michael Jones for throwing a punch at his team-mate.

Scenting blood, West Ham poured forward and could have gone ahead but Cole volleyed wide before Parker and Di Michele both fired over.

Boa Morte's scuffed shot was cleared off the line by Danny Higginbotham and Parker screwed a shot wide from outside the box.

The pressure finally paid off in the 88th minute when Spanish substitute Tristan deflected in Cole's shot for the winner.