Last Updated: Sun, 11 Nov 2012 20:13
West Ham boss Sam Allardyce saluted skipper Kevin Nolan as the pair returned to former club Newcastle and left with a victory.
The 30-year-old scored the only goal of the game at St James' Park as the Magpies turned in another below-par display and succumbed all too tamely.
Allardyce said: "Of course it's our captain, who is our leading goalscorer, who has got us the three points.
"His instincts in the box are there for all to see. It's five goals he has got in 11 games now in the Premier League - it should be six because he had one chalked off this week (against Manchester City) that he shouldn't have done - and for a midfield player to be totalling up that sort of goal tally is fantastic from our point of view.
"That being the winner is obviously satisfying for us all."
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