The 23-year-old striker added to second half goals from Lee Bowyer and Luke Young's own-goal as the Hammers secured back-to-back 3-0 successes.

Ashton, who missed all of last season with a broken ankle, was on hand to finish a flowing 62nd-minute move to put the gloss on a fine performance from the hosts.

For Boro, Jeremie Aliadiere hit a post and Tuncay Sanli rattled the crossbar, but despite being on top for periods of the first half, the visitors were simply blown away after the interval.

Ashton had the ball in the net after 12 minutes, only to be denied by a linesman's flag.

Boro almost broke the deadlock with their first attack in the 18th minute when Mido sent Aliadiere racing clean through, but the Frenchman's shot hit Robert Green's left-hand post.

However, the Hammers had to wait just 25 seconds after the break to hit the front, when Bowyer started and finished a swift move.

The midfielder headed the ball to Hayden Mullins and sprinted forward to get on to Carlton Cole's pass and dispatch the ball confidently past Schwarzer for his second goal of the season.

And five minutes later the hosts doubled their advantage when Cole aimed an angled pass towards Mullins, only for Luke Young to steer the ball past Schwarzer.

Boro should have pulled one back just before the hour when Tuncay lobbed the ball over Green only to see it bounce off the top of the crossbar.

Ashton's big moment came two minutes later. Mullins swept the ball out left to Etherington, who skipped past Young and crossed for Ashton to tuck home at the far post to prompt rapturous celebrations.