CHERRIES racked up their first Premier League victory with a gritty performance at the Boleyn Ground this afternoon.

In a dominant first half, Eddie Howe’s men stormed into a 2-0 lead thanks to Callum Wilson’s double.

But the home side hit back after the break with Cheikhou Kouyate’s strike and Mark Noble’s penalty levelling matters.

See all the pictures of AFC Bournemouth's victory over West Ham in a gallery here

Cherries held their nerve, however, with Marc Pugh’s 66th-minute effort restoring their advantage, before Wilson completed his hat-trick 11 minutes from time with a well-taken penalty.

Hammers substitute Modibo Maiga ensured a nervy final eight minutes, however, when he made it 4-3, but Cherries held firm to register their maiden top-flight triumph.

Howe named an unchanged side from the starting 11 so unfortunate to fall to a 1-0 defeat at Liverpool on Monday night.

Both sides outlined their attacking intent from the off, with Winston Reid’s block from Charlie Daniels’s cross preventing early work for Darren Randolph. At the other end, Artur Boruc was on hand to smother the ball under pressure from Kevin Nolan.

Moments later, Reid had the ball in the net from Dimitri Payet’s corner but was ruled to have pushed Cherries skipper Tommy Elphick as he charged towards the six-yard box.

And it was Cherries who took advantage of Reid’s poor fortune when they scored the club’s first ever Premier League goal to take the lead.

Howe’s men owed much to the endeavours of Simon Francis down the right, who turned Aaron Cresswell inside out before crossing for Wilson to blast past Randolph. The Boleyn Ground fell silent.

Boruc had to be sharp from his six-yard box on 14 minutes, though, the big Pole getting down well after Payet’s ball to Kouyate had left the Cherries defence flat-footed.

Despite those scares, though, Howe’s men looked reasonably comfortable. Their start was far more measured than the front-footed first 20 minutes at Anfield.

Max Gradel had a great opportunity to make it 2-0 on 22 minutes but the Ivorian delayed pulling the trigger for too long having given Carl Jenkinson the slip just inside the Hammers half.

The natives grew increasingly restless as Cherries seemingly passed the ball around at will, Ritchie and Francis linking well together down the right. Wilson, in particular, looked a huge threat with the ball continually flying low and hard into the six-yard danger area in front of Randolph.

The pressure told on 28 minutes. The Hammers defence tried to pass their way out of trouble, only for Cresswell to slide the ball straight to Wilson who fired home with utter simplicity. 2-0 and Cherries in control. Moments later Wilson fired into the side netting.

‘We’re only here for the season’ sang the visiting supporters at Hammers keeper Randolph, who thanks to his exploits for Birmingham, had conceded 16 goals in just three games against Howe’s men at that stage.

James Tomkins replaced Angelo Ogbonna after just 34 minutes, Hammers boss Slaven Bilic having seen enough. Seconds later, Daniels went close with a fizzing drive from distance. Ritchie fired deep into the Bobby Moore Stand in first-half stoppage time.

Randolph, meanwhile, gave the Boleyn something to cheer when he saved beautifully low down from Gradel moments before half-time.

Less than two minutes after the restart, Bilic’s men were back in it. Following a game of pinball between both sides in the Cherries penalty box, Joshua King felled Noble and referee Jonathan Moss pointed to the spot, despite replays showing minimal contact. Noble stepped up and blasted past Boruc. 2-1.

The Boleyn was rocking and before long it was 2-2. Cherries were undone by Jenkinson’s long throw and although Boruc saved well from Diafra Sakho, Kouyate latched on to the loose ball and fired into the roof of the net.

Cherries weathered the storm, however, substitute Marc Pugh testing Randolph with a fearsome right-foot drive on the hour, before Cherries’ longest-serving player handed Howe’s men the lead once more.

Gradel won the ball on the edge of the Hammers penalty area before feeding Pugh, who left Tomkins on his backside and curled a delightful right-foot shot past Randolph.

And the Hammers’ defensive woes continued 12 minutes from time when Jenkinson was sent off for hauling down Gradel, the Ivorian’s desire to win the ball sensational. Wilson stepped up and slotted home the penalty for his first ever hat-trick and a Premier League one at that.

Maiga’s strike eight minutes from time restored a little hope for Bilic’s men, while Eunan O'Kane's dramatic clearance off the line at the death enabled the visitors to complete an historic day.

Hammers (4-1-3-1-1): Randolph; Jenkinson, Reid, Ogbonna (Tomkins, 34), Cresswell; Nolan (Jarvis, h-t); Obiang, Noble, Kouyate; Payet; Sakho (Maiga, 73).

Unused subs: Collins, Lanzini, Cullen, Spiegel (g/k).

Cherries (4-4-1-1): Boruc; Francis, Elphick, Cook, Daniels; Ritchie (Smith, 90), Surman, O’Kane, Gradel (Gosling, 85); King (Pugh, 51); Wilson.

Unused subs: Mings, Kermorgant, Distin, Federici (g/k).

Booked: Boruc.

Referee: Jonathan Moss.

Attendance: 34, 977.