West Ham 3
Bowyer 46, Young(O) 51, Ashton 62
Middlesbrough 0
West Ham 3 Middlesbrough 0 September 15 2007
Dean Ashton scored his first goal since the 2006 FA Cup final as West Ham romped to a comfortable 3-0 victory at home to woeful Middlesbrough.
In a lively first half Ashton thought he had opened the scoring, but he was denied by an offside flag.
Jeremie Aliadiere later saw his shot cannon back off a post, before both he and Irons striker Craig Bellamy limped off injured.
The Hammers had to wait just 25 seconds after the break to find the net, when Lee Bowyer started and finished a swift move and slotted Carlton Cole's one-touch pass home.
Five minutes later the hosts doubled their advantage when Cole aimed a precise angled pass towards Hayden Mullins, only for Luke Young to steer the ball into his own net.
And Ashton's big moment came on 62 minutes when he tucked home Matthew Etherington's shot at the far post.