READING, England (AFP) - Craig Bellamy and a brace from Matthew Etherington fired West Ham to a 3-0 victory against Reading at the Majdeski Stadium on Saturday.

The Londoners' welcome victory went some way to making up for last season's spectacular 6-0 capitulation at the same venue.

West Ham took the lead with the first attack of the match, Lee Bowyer threading a pass through for Wales forward Bellamy to take one touch before lashing home past a helpless Marcus Hahnemann in the Reading goal.

Reading's response was impressive and they laid siege to the Hammers goal, but the breaks simply did not fall their way.

The Royals forced a series of corners but West Ham remained dangerous on the break and Mark Noble could have doubled the lead on 15 minutes but fired over after a swift counter-attack.

Bellamy was proving a particular menace to the Reading centre-backs with his pace causing all sorts of problems for Michael Duberry and Ivar Ingimarsson.

The home side's best chance came three minutes before the break but Stephen Hunt's clever shot struck the top of the bar.

Reading deserved something from their first half showing but things quickly got worse as Etherington finished off another fine counter-attack to double the visitors' lead just after the restart.

The hosts pushed forward and kept creating chances and forcing corners but West Ham's play on the break was simply scintillating.

It could have been a much larger margin of victory as both Bowyer and Bellamy found themselves in one-on-one situations. Bowyer fired his effort wide while Bellamy saw his saved by Reading's American keeper.

Reading were offered a lifeline with 15 minutes to play with a penalty award but Robert Green palmed away Kevin Doyle's shot from the spot.

Doyle could have made amends almost immediately afterwards but shot wide as Reading's malaise for the day - an inability to finish - continued to haunt them.

The Hammers too kept missing glorious opportunities with substitute forward Carlton Cole the latest to have Hahnemann deny him when clean through, just five minutes from time.

But Etherington was not to be denied when he was sent clear in added time.