CALLUM Wilson’s controversial late leveller capped an absorbing Boxing Day contest as honours finished even between Cherries and West Ham in a six-goal thriller at Vitality Stadium.

Wilson’s stoppage-time header was initially ruled out after assistant Simon Long had flagged for an infringement in the lead up to the goal.

However, following a lengthy chat between the officials, referee Bobby Madley reversed the decision and allowed the goal to stand, much to the chagrin of the visitors.

It came after Marko Arnautovic’s late double appeared to have won it for the Hammers.

The Austrian capitalised on a slip from Asmir Begovic to level with nine minutes remaining and poked home his second and West Ham's third on the stroke of full-time.

Earlier, James Collins had drawn first blood for the visitors with a seventh-minute header which was cancelled out by Dan Gosling 29th-minute effort before Nathan Ake swept home a Lewis Cook cross in the 57th minute to give Cherries the lead.

Simon Francis, Lewis Cook and Joshua King were restored to the Cherries starting line-up as Eddie Howe made three changes following the 4-0 defeat at Manchester City on Saturday.

Junior Stanislas and Andrew Surman were both ruled out having sustained injuries at the Etihad, while young defender Jack Simpson dropped down to the bench.

Charlie Daniels, Jermain Defoe and Harry Arter remained on the sidelines due to their respective injuries.

Defeat at City, where Sergio Aguero’s double and goals from Danilo and Raheem Sterling saw the hosts register a 17th successive Premier League victory, extended to seven games Cherries’ winless league run.

West Ham arrived at Vitality Stadium on the back of Saturday’s 3-2 reverse against Newcastle at the London Stadium, their first defeat in four matches in the top flight.

Midfielder Manuel Lanzini returned for the Hammers having served a two-match ban, while Collins came in for the injured Michail Antonio.

Ryan Fraser’s early free-kick caused problems for the Hammers defence with Angelo Ogbonna heading the ball narrowly past his own upright.  And from the resultant corner, taken by Jordon Ibe, Francis arrived at the near post to flick a header just over the crossbar.

However, the visitors opened the scoring through Collins’s first goal of the season having forced their first corner in the seventh minute.

The Welsh international gave Francis the slip and met Ryan Cresswell’s delivery with a near post header which squeezed just inside Begovic’s left-hand post.

Adrian saved at the second attempt after Wilson’s effort from a tight angle had ricocheted off a defender with another Fraser free-kick proving difficult to defend for the Hammers.

King spurned a gilt-edged opportunity to level when he sliced wide from close range after Wilson had picked him out with a superb crossfield pass in the 16th minute.

Andre Ayew fastened on to a driven cross from Arthur Masuaku but fired wide of the target before Cherries forced two presentable chances in quick succession.

Firstly, King toe-poked wide from around 10 yards after Fraser’s centre had found him in space and then a rasping drive from Adam Smith was tipped over the crossbar by Adrian.

Their spell of pressure finally told as Cherries levelled when another free-kick from Fraser reaped dividends as the Hammers defence made a hash of clearing their lines.

Hoisted into the danger zone by the Scotsman, Collins could only head the ball into King before it fell invitingly at the feet of Gosling who made no mistake from eight yards.  It was the midfielder’s first Premier League goal since November 2016 and came after he had gone into the record books as the club’s leading marksman in the League Cup having netted his eighth in the competition in the 2-1 defeat at Chelsea.

A high foot by Francis into the mouth of Cheikhou Kouyate – which took place in front of the dugouts – sparked ugly scenes between players and staff of both camps.

And while the Senegalese received treatment, a posse of players and members of the West Ham bench urged referee Madley to send off Francis.

Despite their protestations, replays suggested the incident had been accidental and the Cherries skipper received a booking.   After calm had been restored and as the first half drew to a close, Lanzini screwed wide following a cross from Arnautovic before King headed tamely into Adrian’s hands.

As soon as the half-time whistle had sounded, Francis made a beeline for Kouyate and shook hands with the midfielder as they left the pitch.

Wilson, who hit a hat-trick against the Hammers in 2015, went close to doubling Cherries’ lead early in the second half.

But after being teed up by King on the edge of the box, the striker saw his thunderous drive flash past the post.

Lanzini’s effort looped past the upright having cannoned off Lewis Cook before Collins and Cresswell were booked in quick succession.

Cherries took the lead through Ake after 57 minutes, the defender sweeping home from close range after Lewis Cook’s cross had fallen for him having found its way through a crowd of players.

Adrian was forced to turn Gosling’s snap-shot around the post before Ake headed into the side netting following a corner from Ibe.

Cherries had a penalty appeal waved away after the ball appeared to strike Collins on the arm before Adrian stuck out his right leg to block Ibe’s stinging drive.

Arnautovic was culpable of a bad miss after 70 minutes when he failed to hit the target from point blank range after Javier Hernandez had rolled the ball into his path.  And Fraser should have done better at the opposite end after latching on to Francis’s centre, the winger cushioning a volley wide when well placed.

Steve Cook required a lengthy spell of treatment following a clash of heads with Collins before Adrian twice thwarted Benik Afobe as the Cherries substitute had looked to work an opening at the near post.

Begovic made a top-drawer save to smother Andy Carroll’s fierce volley and Adrian did likewise after Ibe had let fly.

However, Begovic blotted his copybook when his slip gifted Arnautovic an opportunity to restore parity nine minutes from time, the Austrian accepting the present to fire past the grounded Cherries goalkeeper.

And Arnautovic heaped more misery on Begovic when he seized on the loose ball to make it 3-2 after the Cherries goalkeeper had failed to deal with Hernandez’s shot.

But back came Cherries when Wilson headed home late on, the final act in a Premier League thriller.

Cherries: Begovic, Francis, Ake, S Cook, A Smith, Gosling, L Cook, Ibe, Fraser (Pugh, 86), King (Afobe, 64), Wilson.

Unused subs: Mahoney, Hyndman, Mousset, Simpson, Boruc (g/k).

Booked: Francis, L Cook, Ake.

Hammers: Adrian, Collins, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Zabaleta (Rice, 78), Kouyate, Obiang (Carroll, 60), Masuaku, Lanzini, Ayew (Hernandez, 60), Arnautovic.

Unused subs: Reid, Sakho, Quina, Hart (g/k).

Booked: Zabaleta, Collins, Cresswell, Ogbonna.

Referee: Bobby Madley.