Scott Parker is still waiting for his first win as West Ham boss after suffering a 2-1 defeat at spirited Blackburn.

It was a painful return to East Lancashire for the former Burnley boss whose side dominated possession but ultimately paid for profligacy early in the second half.

Andri Gudjohnsen headed in his 10th league goal of the season and Dapo Afolayan's powerful strike doubled the Rovers advantage 19 minutes from the end.

Joel Piroe lashed in from close range to halve the deficit and Tomas Soucek missed a glorious injury time chance as the Hammers suffered their first away defeat of the campaign.

Blackburn impressively ended their two-game losing streak to move within three points of the play-offs.

Despite West Ham's early possession, the hosts created the first real chance in the 16th minute when Jayden Fevrier's near-post cross was directed just wide by Gudjohnsen.

West Ham raided down the left moments later and a teasing low cross from Ezra Mayers was begging to be converted but Piroe could not reach to apply the finish.

The Hammers finally tested Balazs Toth in the 20th minute when Divine Mukasa found space on the edge of the area but the Hungarian stopper parried his shot behind.

Konstantinos Mavropanos almost struck within a minute of the restart but glanced a towering header just wide after meeting Arne Engels' corner.

Blackburn's goal was living a charmed life. Hammers skipper Jarrod Bowen met Edvin Austbo's centre but, though his deft header beat Toth, it cannoned back off the post.

Parker's men kept the ball and Engels unleashed a venomous 25-yard strike that fell agonisingly wide.

West Ham paid the price in the 54th minute when Blackburn broke up the right wing through Fevrier who delivered a pinpoint cross for the diving Gudjohnsen to head in emphatically from six yards.

The Hammers continuted to dominate possession but with something to defend, Rovers managed more comfortably and turned the screw in the 71st minute through former Hammer Afolayan, who found space on the edge of the area and rifled a left-foot drive into the bottom right corner of Mads Hermansen's goal.

The stunned visitors grabbed a lifeline with eight minutes remaining when Taty Castellanos' pass found its way to Piroe 12 yards out and he controlled before blasting into the roof of the net.

Soucek should have grabbed an equaliser deep into injury time but the substitute headed straight at Toth from close range.