Socceroos defender Lucas Neill endured the taunts of Blackburn supporters before having the last laugh when West Ham lifted themselves off the bottom of the English Premier League ladder with a shock 2-1 win over Rovers.

Neill, making his first appearance at Ewood Park after leaving mid-table Rovers to join the relegation-threatened Hammers in January, had to work hard as Blackburn pressed forward.

Meanwhile, fellow Australian Brett Emerton found himself at the centre of West Ham's controversial equaliser when the Blackburn defender was adjudged to have fouled Carlos Tevez, conceding a contentious penalty.

Emerton was incensed and a brief melee ensued before Tevez netted from the penalty spot in the 71st minute to level the scores after Christopher Samba's header had given the home side the lead shortly after half-time.

More controversy followed when Bobby Zamora sealed victory for the Hammers after his shot was ruled to have crossed the line, although television replays showed otherwise.

Zamora's shot hit Tevez, who was in an offside position, on the line, but the officials awarded the goal.

West Ham manager Alan Curbishley conceded the ball failed to cross the goal line.

"I'll take it," Curbishley said.

"I've seen the replay of it and obviously it hasn't gone over the line.

"On the day you get penalties, other decisions and some go your way.

"The linesman is a long way away and I think my players' reaction may have affected his decision.

"We have had some bad luck so I'm delighted it has turned."

The win moved West Ham to within eight points of fourth-from-bottom Sheffield United.

Blackburn had controlled much of the match, largely through wingers Morten Gamst Pedersen and David Bentley, who was sent off late in the game.

Pedersen's corner set up Samba's goal and the Norwegian was Blackburn's most dangerous player in the first half.

In another upset, embattled Manchester City manager Stuart Pearce secured his future for at least another week, thanks to his side's surprise 2-0 victory at Middlesbrough.

Pearce went into the match under a cloud after a string of five straight Premier League defeats.

Boro manager Gareth Southgate took a gamble when he left Australian striker Mark Viduka and England defender Jonathan Woodgate out of his starting line-up ahead of Monday's FA Cup quarter-final replay at Manchester United.

But the move backfired when Sylvain Distin's 61st-minute strike - City's second goal in seven league games - and Emile Mpenza's first for the club, 17 minutes from time, eased the pressure on Pearce.

City started the second half better, with Boro's Australian keeper, Mark Schwarzer, needing two attempts to collect substitute Georgios Samaras' header from a Darius Vassell cross in the 49th minute.

Schwarzer was called on again to keep out Joey Barton's near-post strike five minutes later.

Viduka received a warm reception from the home fans at the Riverside Stadium when he emerged from the bench and he replaced Jason Euell in the 64th minute.

Also, Wembley finally opened to the public with about 40,000 local residents testing out the facilities at a soccer match between popular entertainers and former players.

The opening of the north London stadium has been the subject of repeated delays after legal problems between the owners and Australian construction firm Multiplex.

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