West Ham 3 Charlton 1: Two second-half goals from Bobby Zamora made it a disappointing return to Upton Park for new Charlton manager Iain Dowie.
Dowie, who enjoyed two spells at West Ham as a player, saw his side take a 14th-minute lead with a controversial penalty from Darren Bent. But his hopes of getting off to a winning start were made virtually impossible by the dismissal of debutant left-back Djimi Traore in the 26th minute.
Traore, a £2million signing from Liverpool, was booked for a foul on Lee Bowyer in the 23rd minute and shown the red card three minutes later when he prevented the home side from taking a quick free-kick.
Down to 10 men Charlton understandably struggled to contain a vibrant West Ham side which went on to dominate.
Indeed, they were unlucky not to have been in front long before Danny Gabbidon was adjudged to have handled the ball for Bent's penalty.
Bowyer, clearly intent on making an impression against one of his former clubs, created a shooting opportunity within the opening minute for the lively Zamora.
The striker, getting a first team chance due to the enforced absence of the injured Dean Ashton, unleashed a 20-yard volley that flew just inches over. Two minutes later they should have opened the scoring when Nigel Reo-Coker fed the marauding Paul Konchesky on the left flank.
The former Charlton defender's cross was met by the head of the new Israel captain Yossi Benayoun but he was unable to direct his effort on target from six yards.
Charlton found it difficult to settle as a result of the home side's ferocious opening salvo.
But in the 14th minute Bent put them in front from the penalty spot after Gabbidon was controversially adjudged to have handled by referee Howard Webb.
Webb initially gave a corner but after consulting his assistant the official pointed to the spot to the anger of the West Ham fans and players.
Bent kept his cool to beat Roy Carroll with a firmly-hit penalty that went in off the right-hand upright.
Traore, booked for a foul on Bowyer in the 23rd minute, lasted another three minutes on his Charlton debut before being sent off.
The former Liverpool defender could have no complaints with Webb's decision after he prevented West Ham from taking a quick free-kick. Dowie immediately replaced Darren Ambrose with defender Gonzalo Sorondo.
In the 28th minute, Charlton had a lucky escape when Marlon Harewood appeared to have equalised but Webb disallowed the goal for an infringement.
West Ham began to make the most of their extra man but Zamora was guilty of failing to make the most of a fine cross from Reo-Coker in the 37th minute.
A minute later Harewood and Benayoun combined down the right flank but again Zamora failed to make his presence tell as Charlton's defence scrambled the ball clear.
Harewood then brought a fine save from Scott Carson with a 20-yard drive in the 40th minute, the keeper diving low to his right in order to prevent it sneaking in the bottom corner.
West Ham boss Alan Pardew replaced right-back Tyrone Mears with John Pantsil at the start of the second half and the home side picked up where they left off before the break.
Their sustained pressure brought them an equaliser in the 51st minute through Zamora. He capitalised on Charlton's failure to cut out a low right-wing cross from Bowyer to poke the ball home at the far post.
Charlton's response was immediate with Talal El Karkouri forcing Carroll into a fine save with a 30-yard free-kick. The West Ham keeper then dived to his right to keep out Bent's effort from the rebound.
But West Ham deservedly went in front in the 65th minute, although Zamora's second of the match had a touch of comedy about it.
The build-up was elegant enough with Konchesky feeding Bowyer on the left but the former Charlton player's cross appeared to have eluded Zamora at the far post.
But the West Ham striker somehow managed to hook the ball against the inside of the left-hand upright and beyond El Karkouri's attempted goalline clearance for his second.
West Ham completed the scoring in the last seconds of injury when substitute Carlton Cole finished superbly with his first touch of the ball after replacing Harewood.
