The China Mail - Bowen hits treble as West Ham sink Brentford to end barren run

Bowen hadn't scored in the Premier League since December 23, but the England forward got back on track with a stylish treble at the London Stadium.

The 27-year-old struck twice in the first seven minutes before Neal Maupay got one back for Brentford in a frantic opening 13 minutes.

Bowen completed his hat-trick after the interval before Emerson's superb long-range blast made it four.

Yoane Wissa reduced the deficit late on, but David Moyes' side were able to celebrate their first victory since winning at Arsenal on December 28.

Ending their longest winless streak in all competitions since 1997 was essential for Moyes, who has come under fire from frustrated fans in recent weeks.

Moyes is yet to decide whether to accept the club's offer of a new contract, with his present deal expiring at the end of this season.

After losing their last three league games, including a 6-0 embarrassment against Arsenal, and crashing out of the FA Cup at second tier Bristol City, West Ham's climb to eighth place was a welcome boost for the beleaguered boss.

Relegation-threatened Brentford had slipped down a place before kicking a ball on Monday after Everton's punishment for breaching Premier League financial rules was reduced from 10 points to six after an appeal.

Brentford have now lost five of their last six league games and sit below Everton in 16th place, five points above the relegation zone.

- Bowen sparkles -

West Ham should have taken the lead in the opening moments when Vladimir Coufal's cross was flicked on by James Ward-Prowse and Tomas Soucek somehow missed the target from just six yards.

Bowen ensured Soucek would not be left to rue that miss as the forward ended his drought in the fifth minute.

Emerson's cross reached Bowen 12 yards from goal and he lashed a fierce strike past Mark Flekken at his near post.

Bowen netted again two minutes later with a clinical first-time finish that arrowed into the far corner from Coufal's low cross.

Brentford were on the ropes but they punched back in the 13th minute.

Keane Lewis-Potter's pass was perfectly weighted for Maupay, who surged into the West Ham area and stretched to lift his shot past Alphonse Areola from 10 yards.

West Ham blew a half-time lead in their 3-2 defeat at Brentford in November.

But their determination to hold the lead this time might have been heightened by an angry exchange in the tunnel between West Ham assistant coach Kevin Nolan and Maupay when the teams came out for the second half.

Bowen put West Ham in complete control in the 63rd minute.

Mohammed Kudus dinked a cross into the six-yard box, where the unmarked Bowen had found space to bury a clinical header past Flekken.

Moyes' men struck again in the 69th minute when Kudus's cross was cleared to Emerson, who lashed a brilliant strike into the top corner from 25 yards.

Wissa's 82nd minute curler was no consolation as Brentford slumped deeper into the relegation battle.

Y.Parker--ThChM