Di Michele brace sinks sorry Magpies

The former Chelsea forward officially took up his duties on Monday - and the Hammers responded to record a third home successive win.

Di Michele, on a season loan from Torino, set them on their way with a deflected effort after just eight minutes and then added another before half-time. Matthew Etherington made it 3-0 before England striker Michael Owen salvaged a consolation for the visitors.

It was a positive start by the hosts, who had won both of their opening home games under Alan Curbishley - the former boss quitting after a row with the board over player transfers.

Di Michele skipped clear off the offside trap and into the left side of the penalty area. However, Shay Given stood up at his near post to make the save.

The Italian then got lucky after eight minutes when he cut inside from the right and shot from 20 yards - then wheeled away in celebration as the ball ricocheted off Steven Taylor and up over the keeper into the net.

Nine minutes before half-time Di Michele was played in by Mark Noble and Given had come out to make a reaction save with his head. However, the ball dropped back to the Italian striker, who turned inside Taylor before slamming home his second from six yards.

Geremi's free-kick found its way through to the six-yard box, where Taylor flicked it goalwards, but Owen could not get any power on his close-range header.

It proved a costly miss as, after 53 minutes, the hosts went up the other end and scored. Carlton Cole played Di Michele away down the right channel, and he sprinted into the area. Unselfishly, the Italian, on a hat-trick, laid the ball back across goal for Etherington to sweep it into the net.

Newcastle, though, did get a lifeline after 67 minutes. Claudio Cacapa slipped in Owen at the edge of the penalty area and the England striker dropped his shoulder to pass Lucas Neill before bending a superb effort into the top right corner. But his strike proved to be no more than a consolation.