West Ham United came out on top in an eight-goal Barclays Premier League thriller with Burnley at the Boleyn Ground on Saturday.

The Hammers, who have now lost just once in six league matches, stormed into a 5-0 lead shortly after the hour-mark, only for Owen Coyle's side to launch a furious late comeback.

Saturday's result was the first time West Ham had won 5-3 since Oxford United visited in the old Division One in November 1992, and lifted the Hammers to within five points of the top half.

The goals were shared around. Jack Collison and Junior Stanislas put West Ham two clear before Carlton Cole netted the first of two penalties for the home side. After the break, Guille Franco bundled in a fourth before Luis Jimenez slammed in the second spot-kick to put the Hammers five clear.

At 5-0 down, Burnley launched a stirring fightback, but Steven Fletcher's brace and Chris Eagles' added-time finish were not enough to deny the hosts a second home league win of the season.

Gianfranco Zola's free-scoring side have now netted 21 times in their last ten league matches, but it was Burnley who threatened first on Saturday. Scott Parker had to be at his best to clear Clarke Carlisle's downward header off the line on nine minutes.

The midfielder was equally alert in setting up Collison's opener nine minutes later, jumping up after being fouled by Wade Elliott before clipping a quick free-kick to the midfielder, who steadied himself before beating Brian Jensen.

In between, the willing Franco had clipped the giant Dane's crossbar with a brave header from Collison's cross.

Jensen was picking the ball out of his net again shortly after the half-hour mark. Stanislas latched on to Franco's neat pass and, after seeing the goalkeeper block his initial effort, calmly slotted the ball between Jensen and his near post.

It was three 90 seconds before the interval when the rampaging Jonathan Spector was clipped by Robbie Blake, and Cole side-footed home the resulting penalty.

Into the second half and West Ham continued to hold the upper hand, extending their lead when Mexico forward Franco converted Stanislas' vicious free-kick from close-range on 51 minutes.

Burnley manager Owen Coyle sent on striker David Nugent in an attempt to salvage something from the game, only for the once-capped England striker to miss two glorious chances within a few minutes of coming on.

He was made to pay by fellow substitute Jimenez on 64 minutes, when the Chilean picked himself up after being felled by Jensen and easily converted from the penalty spot.

Amazingly, conceding a fifth goal appeared to galvanise the visitors, who came into the game having picked up just one point from six away league matches.

Scotland striker Steven Fletcher, who had ploughed a lone furrow up front before Nugent's arrival, was the beneficiary in the shape of two neat finishes from Eagles' crosses.

Burnley's miserable afternoon was almost complete two minutes into added-time when Hines was impeded by Steven Caldwell, and the Scott was sent-off by referee Chris Foy for a professional foul.

There was still time for Eagles to snatch a late third for the ten men, slotting Tyrone Mears' low centre past a helpless Robert Green.

Despite their second-half problems, the Hammers recorded their second home league win of the season, Zola and his players will go into next Saturday's visit of champions Manchester United hopeful of making that three.