PHOTOS: West Ham United 1, Burnley 2

But Burnley gave him a taste of his own medicine to top off a week to remember.

The Clarets came from behind to record a famous win - their first at the Boleyn Ground in almost 40 years - with goals resulting from a throw in and a corner.

The former Bolton and Blackburn boss' sides are often at their most dangerous when the ball goes out of play, and he laid the blame for a shock defeat at his players' failure to react to those dead balls, feeling the Hammers were otherwise dominant.

That failed to take into consideration Howe tactically outmanoeuvring Allardyce, and the spirit and determination Burnley displayed to carry out their orders.

Yes, the Hammers twice hit the woodwork, but for all their huff and bluff - and later typical Allardyce thud and blunder - West Ham only recorded five shots on target to Burnley's four, and Rob Green was the busier of the two goalkeepers, with Lee Grant barely extended.

Howe gave Dean Marney a first start in over four weeks, adding an extra body in central midfield to counter the Hammers' midfield three, and while the Clarets barely got out of their half in the first period, they cut the space between the midfield and back four, restricting Kevin Nolan's influence, and forcing the Hammers into long, predictable percentage balls.

Nolan had the best chance of the first half, sidefooting wide from a Carlton Cole cross, but the opening only came about via a slip from Marney, who was otherwise excellent, giving an energetic display, breaking up play and using the ball intelligently.

At half-time, Howe would have been the happier manager by far, although that smile would have been wiped off his face by a route one opener on 52 minutes as Green's goal kick was flicked on by Cole and Nolan lifted the ball over Grant and in.

Five minutes later, as Howe prepared to bring on Ross Wallace and Sam Vokes, both unlucky not to start, Kieran Trippier took a throw in to former Hammer Junior Stanislas, and his enticing cross was thumped home by skipper Chris McCann for his third goal in two games.

Steve Cotterill once described a McCann leap for a goal as like Joe Jordan, joking McCann didn't know who he was, and it was another header "Jaws" would have been proud of.

The Hammers responded as Trippier bravely took a shot from Frederic Piquionne in the face from point blank range, while Jack Collison hit the outside of the post after a run from Nolan - who was lucky to be on the pitch after two awful challenges on Ben Mee and Michael Duff that went unpunished by a referee from Essex who lives 20 miles from Upton Park.

But, incredibly, as West Ham ran out of ideas and lumped the ball forward, Burnley looked the more likely to nick another on the break.

Wallace almost scored one of the most audacious goals you will see, as his 40-yarder flew just wide after Vokes closed down a Green clearance, before a Jay Rodriguez screamer that looked set for the top corner was turned over by Green.

From Wallace's corner, Vokes found the space to bludgeon a header home, and Burnley had 15 minutes to hold out.

Allardyce had almost tried to taunt Burnley into attacking the Hammers before the game, saying: "If you give us the space and time we will play better than anyone else in this division, but teams are not daft enough to do that.

"Blackpool thought they could attack us and we went and scored four and it could have been five or six. If we get the space, we exploit it."

But Howe, by stopping West Ham playing through midfield, forced them into predictably direct stuff that was meat and drink for the Burnley back four.

And by cleverly picking and choosing the right moments to spring, the Clarets created more than enough chances to trouble their hosts, taking two of them.

Nolan again got away with a late challenge on Trippier as a star struck referee showed great leniency, and while Cole hit the same post as Collison, the magnificent Duff had given him little to aim at, having expertly jockeyed, and Grant had the effort covered.

Burnley saw out the game with minimum fuss after that, and while they received little credit from outside the town, this was another huge step in the right direction.

Since 4-30 p.m. last Saturday, when the Clarets trailed 2-0 at Hull and were, as things stood, 22nd in the table, they have scored nine goals and claimed nine points to climb to 10th.

Howe hailed this latest win as the best of his Burnley reign to date - a 10th away league win of the calendar year, after winning only four in 2009 and 2010 combined.

He said: “I think it's the best result, without a doubt.

“I don't think it was perhaps the best performance. In terms of spirit and attitude and character, yes, but we can play better than that.

“Defensively we were terrific, which we haven't always been this season. That pleases me more than anything because we've taken a lot of criticism – probably justified as well – for our defensive play this year."

He has put an end to the Clarets' away day woes, and if normal service resumes at Turf Moor, they could mount a play-off push yet this season, having been staring at the drop zone a week ago.

Howe retained his faith in his young charges, and if they can ally the grit and intelligence they showed here, with their attacking flair on a regular basis, the future will be bright.