It was lucky 13 for West Ham on Wednesday as super-sub Jermain Defoe smashed the Hammers' Upton Park winless streak with an 89th-minute wonder-goal against Blackburn.

Defoe, on the field for just seven minutes, sealed this 2-1 victory after a dozen league games without success at home.

Upton Park was absolutely rocking at the final whistle as fans sang along to the 'Great Escape' tune.

Dwight Yorke put Rovers in front with a close-range finish in the 38th minute, with Paolo di Canio, on his comeback after two months out with a knee injury, levelling from the penalty spot seven minutes after the break.

And, after Lee Bowyer and di Canio missed late chances, Defoe danced in from the left wing and beat Brad Friedel at his near post to haul the Hammers above West Brom in the fight for Barclaycard Premiership survival.

Glenn Roeder's men had gone close to opening the scoring, with Friedel making a top-drawer parry from di Canio's stinging drive and Steve Lomas poking a foot wide from 15 yards.

The home side's early emphasis faded, although they survived a scare following David James' headless charge out of his goal.

Yorke withstood Steve Lomas' attempt to rip his shirt off his back and got on to end of a cross to smash the ball into the roof of the net from three yards.

Roeder must have delivered a stirring interval team-talk because his side were much improved after the break.

They got their reward with 58 minutes gone when Andy Todd tripped di Canio in the penalty area and the Italian swept home from the spot.

And Defoe struck with 60 seconds of normal time left, sparking wild scenes of jubilation at Upton Park.

Early on, Les Ferdinand had the chance to bag his first Hammers goal when Lomas crossed, but Brad Friedel easily gathered his 14-yard header.

The pace of the game had slacked, although Roeder's side came desperately close to hitting the opening goal in a frantic 21st minute.

Friedel made a fine flailing save to push away Michael Carrick's diving header.

That half-cleared the danger, but the Hammers were first to the loose ball and di Canio drew a strong parry from Blackburn's American goalkeeper with a stinging drive.

Rovers did clear this time, but the ball was scrambled back into the box and Lomas poked as foot wide of Friedel's left-hand post with the keeper beaten.

James went AWOL on the half-hour, racing out from his goal for Andy Cole to hook the ball towards an unguarded net. Repka and Nigel Winterburn teamed up to save the day for the home side.

But there was no last-gasp saviour in the 38th minute. Rovers went 1-0 up when Lomas was preoccupied with ripping the shirt off Yorke's back than watching the ball.

Winterburn tripped Gillespie, and as David Thompson delivered a whipped free-kick from the right, Lomas squared up to Yorke.

The ball arrived in the Hammers six-yard box and when Yorke's botched header fell at his feet, he smashed it high into the home net from three yards.

Bowyer's feeble curler two minutes later never looked like levelling - and Rovers almost went 2-0 up when Thompson unleashed a 20-yard shot which flew just over James' crossbar.

Bowyer was at the centre of controversy in the 49th minute when he responded to a kick from Cole by returning the compliment while grounded. Ref Wiley, perhaps leniently, just told both players to calm down.

West Ham equalised in the 58th minute through an ice-cool di Canio penalty.

Todd made a clumsy challenge and tripped the Italian on the left side of the area. Di Canio swept his spot-kick straight down the middle of the goal.

Another James blunder almost handed Rovers the lead again - but after the England keeper's half-clearance, Cole shot just wide.

Bowyer failed to take a gilt-edged chance with quarter-of-an-hour left. Lomas' excellent dummy gave him a free shot at goal - but the former Leeds midfielder drove his angled effort straight into Friedel's chest.

Di Canio was the next Hammer to fluff his lines, shooting straight at Friedel after charging in from the left wing.

West Ham grabbed a sensational winner in the 89th minute. Substitute Jermain Defoe collected Lomas' diagonal ball, cut inside from the left and smashed a blistering shot past Friedel at his near post.

Teams:

West Ham: James, Winterburn (Defoe 84), Repka, Pearce, Johnson, Lomas, Cole, Carrick, Bowyer, Les Ferdinand (Kanoute 59), Di Canio (Sinclair 88).

Subs Not Used: Van Der Gouw, Schemmel.

Booked: Cole.

Goals: Di Canio 58 pen, Defoe 89.

Blackburn: Friedel, McEveley (Jansen 90), Taylor, Todd, Neill, Tugay, Flitcroft, Thompson, Gillespie (Johansson 70), Cole, Yorke (Ostenstad 84).

Subs Not Used: Robinson, Douglas.

Booked: McEveley.

Goals: Yorke 38.

Att: 34,743

Ref: A Wiley (Staffordshire).