Bournemouth vs West Ham report: Dimitri Payet and Enner Valencia cancel out Cherries' early lead

Bournemouth 1 West Ham United 3

Enner Valencia celebrates his strike with team-mate Aaron Cresswell (Getty Images)

Introducing three new recruits demonstrated Bournemouth’s contemporary financial power but could not prevent a fourth home defeat of their eventful first season at the highest level of English football.

Like the 4-3 victory at Upton Park in August, this was a wildly fluctuating affair, in which they took the lead with Harry Arter’s first Premier league goal, then suffered as the mercurial Dimitri Payet, quiet early on, took hold of the ball and the match.

He equalised with a wonderful free-kick, then provided an assist for Enner Valencia, who swerved in a free-kick of his own for West Ham’s fourth successive victory, taking them to fifth place; all that after losing the unhappily injury-prone Andy Carroll to yet another one early on.

Backed by Russian owner Maxim Demin, Bournemouth have already been the busiest shoppers this transfer window, addressing their long-standing injury problems by bringing in strikers Benik Afobe (from Wolves) and Lewis Grabban (back from Norwich) at a joint cost of £16 million, as well as winger Juan Iturbe on loan from Roma.

Dimitri Payet celebrates his goal in front of the West Ham fans (Getty Images)

So, having avoided Afobe in Saturday’s FA Cup tie against Wolves at Upton Park because he was in negotiations on the south coast, West Ham found themselves up against him from the start last night as the home team changed their entire side, as they had done for their Cup victory at Birmingham.

Afobe, a Londoner never given a game by Arsenal, made a good impression as a willing runner with neat control, although he should have endeared himself further to the crowd, less than 20 minutes into his debut, rather than heading Adam Smith’s cross over the bar from five yards following a short corner.

Fortunately Bournemouth were already in front, having recovered from the shock of almost conceding to Mark Noble in the first 10 seconds. In the 17th minute Andrew Surman passed square to Arter, who patiently lined up a low 25-yarder that Adrian should have saved.

By that time, Carroll was back in the West Ham dressing room. Hoping to score in three successive Premier League matches for the first time, he had just made a strong run down the right to set up a chance for Michail Antonio when he pulled up lame and had to be substituted by Nikica Jelavic, who scored the only goal – from Carroll’s assist – on Saturday.

The Croat nearly forced an equaliser before half-time, albeit via a deflection from an intended cross that Artur Boruc did well to turn round a post. Boruc also saved well just before the interval from a drive by Payet, slowly becoming more influential as West Ham clawed their way back into a game that had seemed to be drifting away from them.

Harry Arter opened the scoring for the home side (Getty Images)

Right-back James Tomkins, hooking a shot onto the top of the net, and Antonio with a low skimmer, also gave some encouragement to the travelling support before Bournemouth were forced into a change. Midfielder Matt Ritchie went down and was replaced by the second debutant, Argentina’s Iturbe, for whom there is a deal in place to sign for £16m if he impresses.

West Ham appeared to be responding to his presence by replacing Tomkins with the speedier Carl Jenkinson, who had been sent off in the August meeting between the teams.

The full-back also did his bit in attack as Bournemouth were pushed back, restricted to Arter’s volley wide and Dan Gosling’s 25-yard shot, punched out by Adrian. Although they missed the focal point and aerial option that Carroll gives them as Jelavic struggled, Noble’s usual wholehearted endeavour complemented Payet’s creativity, and two goals in 10 minutes changed the game.

First, midway through the second half, Smith was booked for a foul on Antonio several yards outside the penalty area, from where Payet curled a perfect free-kick over the defensive wall and off the underside of the bar and past a helpless Boruc.

The Frenchman was now running proceedings. In the 74th minute he fooled Iturbe and Cook on the deadball line and Valencia volleyed in the cross.

Valencia then confirmed the destination of the points with a free-kick to match Payet’s. It was from further towards the flank and hit slightly lower, but with even more swerve, and ended in the same place, behind a despairing Boruc.

Bournemouth, whose win at Upton Park was their only one in seven meetings against the Londoners, sent on Grabban – for a tiring Afobe – as well as Glenn Murray, but the visiting defence held out comfortably enough with only one shout for handball, against Angelo Ogbonna, to concern them.

It was another twist in the Premier League tale for Eddie Howe’s side, who had followed three successive wins with three matches without a goal, and now another defeat. They still look good enough to stay up, once the newcomers have been integrated and their injured stars return.