Frederic Kanoute was made king for the day after a goal on his impressive West Ham debut - but Paolo di Canio showed why he is the real Upton Park hero by scoring one of the goals of the season.

Together, the Hammers' new-look strike force condemned struggling Wimbledon to yet another defeat, although Michael Hughes made it an uneasy final 15 minutes for his former club with a well-taken goal.

The win lifted West Ham one place in the table to eighth spot but left the Dons still battling against relegation.

An entertaining game came to life after just eight minutes with di Canio's breathtaking goal.

The unpredictable Italian striker met a deep cross from Trevor Sinclair with an exquisite scissors-kick volley from an awkward angle, which gave Wimbledon goalkeeper Neil Sullivan no chance.

Di Canio clearly enjoyed the goal as much as the crowd at Upton Park as he milked the celebrations. He ran to the sidelines, kissed the badge on his shirt and mouthed to the fans "For you".

As expected, Hammers boss Harry Redknapp rested Costa Rican striker Paulo Wanchope, whose confidence and form has dipped with even his own fans verbally abusing him.

That meant a debut for French Under-21 international Kanoute, and the home fans warmed to him instantly.

Kanoute, signed on loan until the end of the season from Lyon, showed plenty of enthusiasm and determination in the opening stages as he ran with the ball and tried his luck from long range.

His build is similar to that of Wanchope and he won a free-kick on the edge of the Wimbledon box when Jason Euell ended his run by tripping him, which earned the Dons man a booking.

Unfortunately for West Ham, Frank Lampard drove the free-kick into the wall.

Wimbledon are always dangerous at set-pieces and went close after 18 minutes. Alan Kimble's corner from the right was met with a flicked header from Marcus Gayle, and Craig Forrest did well to tip the ball on to the bar.

West Ham picked up where they left off and a minute after the break Foe went close with a header. The Cameroon midfielder made a great jump to meet Lampard's corner from the right but his effort was tipped over by Sullivan.

Di Canio was then at the centre of some controversy when he had two penalty appeals rejected in the space of a minute.

Firstly, after 48 minutes he burst into the box from the left flank and as he went down under the challenge of Ken Cunningham all he won was a corner.

Then he was pole-axed by Andreas Lund just inside the box and this time referee Rob Harris waved play on.

After 57 minutes Kanoute went close after di Canio fed Minto. He sent in a good cross and Kanoute rose well to power a header against the bar.

The sympathetic reaction of the crowd showed just how much they wanted him to open his account on his lively debut.

But the disappointment was short-lived as two minutes later Kanoute did score the goal which made him an instant hero, coming at the end of another flowing move and effectively killing off the Dons.

John Moncur swept the ball out to Sinclair on the right, he chipped it into space for Kanoute to run on to, and as Sullivan came out of his goal the big Frenchman slotted past him and into the empty net.

Kanoute was mobbed by his team-mates, and the only man in the ground who was not smiling must have been the unfortunate Wanchope, sitting on the West Ham bench.

Kanoute forced Sullivan into another superb save after 68 minutes. The new boy produced a burst of pace to leave two defenders trailing and unleashed a fierce drive from 20 yards which the Scotland goalkeeper tipped round a post.

But West Ham were given an uneasy last 15 minutes when their former midfielder Hughes - making his first appearance since being injured last August - pulled a goal back.

Hughes was unmarked just outside the box when he beat Forrest with a great volleyed strike.

Kanoute rounded Sullivan soon after but his shot was cleared off the line, then a third penalty appeal was turned down when Sinclair looked to have been fouled by Kimble.

The final whistle meant West Ham kept up their unique record this season of not having lost a London derby.

Teams:

West Ham: Forrest, Lomas, Stimac, Ferdinand, Minto, Sinclair, Lampard, Foe, Moncur (Keller 89), Di Canio, Kanoute.

Subs Not Used: Ruddock, Wanchope, Cole, Feuer.

Goals: Di Canio 8, Kanoute 59.

Wimbledon: Sullivan, Cunningham, Andersen, Willmott (Blackwell 72), Kimble, Ardley (Leaburn 75), Earle (Francis 64), Euell, Hughes, Gayle, Lund.

Subs Not Used: Andresen, Heald.

Booked: Euell, Francis.

Goals: Hughes 75.

Att: 22,438

Ref: R Harris (Oxford).