Mark Noble and Mo Diame also on target for West Ham

Reece Burke’s last-minute tap in eased the pressure on Sam Allardyce as West Ham finally recorded their first win of pre-season against Sampdoria.

The youngster tapped home after Mo Diame’s superb solo effort had hauled the Hammers level after goals from Stefan Okaka and Citadin Eder sandwiched Mark Noble’s penalty.

But there were still plenty of concerns for Allardyce with the start of the Premier League season less than a week away and simmering tensions with the board and fans still brewing.

VIDEO Scroll down to watch Kevin Nolan in West Ham's new kit ad and new signing Valencia



Happy Hammers! West Ham's players pose after winning the Marathonbet Cup by beating Sampdoria

Getting stuck in: Maruo Zarate is tackled by Sampdoria's Nead Krsticic

New man: Mauro Zarate starred for the Hammers as they beat Sampdoria on Saturday

MATCH FACTS

West Ham: Adrian; Tomkins, Collins (Burke 76), Reid; Downing, Nolan, Noble (Poyet 85), Kouyate (Diame 57), Cresswell (Potts 33); Zarate (Vaz Te 46); Cole (Lee 76).

Subs: Jaaskelainen, Cullen. Sampdoria: Da Costa; De Silvestri, Salamon, Gastaldello (Costa 73), Cacciatore; Soriano (Campana 83), Palombo (Rizzo 83), Krsticic (Obiang 46); Gabbiadini (Fedato 83), Okaka (Sansone 68), Eder (Bergessio 68). Subs: Massolo, Duncan, Fornasier, Wszolek.



The need for a fit striker to replace the injured Andy Carroll was obvious, with Carlton Cole

floundering up top and Enner Valencia still some way from match fitness, and the ease with which Okaka and Eder walked through the home defence for their goals was the stuff of nightmares.



The fact Kevin Nolan was already defending his manager in his programme notes before a Premier League ball has even been kicked must also raise question marks.

There were encouraging signs though, with a new 3-5-2 formation working well in the first half and new signings Cheikhou Kouyate, Mauro Zarate and Aaron Cresswell – who was forced off with an injury after half an hour – all impressing, and Stuart Downing acclimatising well to a right wing-back role.

It could easily have been a win too with Downing hitting the post late on and Nolan curling wide.

West Ham looked the better in the early exchanges, passing the ball out of defence with ease, but went behind on 16 minutes. Sampdoria had threatened to expose the gap behind the Hammers defence twice already when Okaka outmuscled James Collins and slotted past Adrian.

Winner: Reece Burke celebrates scoring the winning goal for West Ham against Sampdoria

Spot on: Mark Noble (left) celebrates scoring a penalty for West Ham against Sampdoria

Catch him if you can: Cheikhou Kouyate skips past Sampdoria's Roberto Soriano

Cole thought he had equalised but was ruled offside when he collected Cresswell’s scuffed shot, and Nolan wasted a superb opportunity when unmarked on the penalty spot.

At the other end, Eder should have scored but dragged his effort wide from Lorenzo De Silvestri’s cut-back.

Kouyate was winning over the Upton Park crowd with an all action display, blocking a chance at one end and then coming close twice at the other – sending a half volley straight at Da Costa and then just failing to control Mark Noble’s throughball.