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Alan Curbishley’s troubled start to the season continued last night after his West Ham United team were forced to come from behind and needed extra time to defeat Macclesfield Town, who are without a point and a goal in Coca-Cola League Two this season.

Amid tension over the tightened transfer policy at Upton Park, the manager faced jeers from supporters during a lacklustre 4-1 victory in the Carling Cup second round in front of just 10,055 people, which came three days after the club suffered a 3-0 league defeat by Manchester City.

The visiting side took an early lead, but their resistance was finally ended by Carlton Cole’s header in extra time before Zavon Hines and Kyel Reid eased West Ham home.

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Curbishley had said that he had the backing of the board, but the result merely strengthened his position as the bookmaker’s favourite to be the first Premier League manager to leave his post this season. “What can I do about it apart from win games and keep going?” he said. “I’ve had this now for a little while. I’ll get on with it. I’m a big boy, as I’ve said before.

“The disappointing thing is the players are the ones that have to go out and perform. The fans are brilliant when they are behind us and they have to realise the effect it has when they are not behind us. Football is a bit like this, you go through periods like this. It has happened to other managers and happened a bit last year.”

Curbishley faced criticism last season for West Ham’s rigid style of play, although he was without many of his flair players through injury. “The only thing that is unfair is that we stayed up and finished tenth with all sorts of problems,” he said.

“I understand the responsibility of being West Ham manager, I’ve watched games at Upton Park and other managers here have had similar criticism. It’s part and parcel that fans let you know when they are not happy.”

Macclesfield gave a spirited performance and only wilted when Izak Reid was sent off for his second bookable offence at the end of normal time. They had led through Gareth Evans five minutes into the tie, when Ahmed Deen swung over a free kick and Evans stooped at the near post to head into the roof of the net, despite George McCartney’s efforts on the line.

It got worse for Curbishley when he was forced into an early change following a head injury to Valon Behrami, who had clashed with Lee Bell. Dean Ashton found a yard of space before the break and curled an effort against the crossbar, but it was not enough to stop the abuse from supporters.

Curbishley had sent his men out early for the second half, but it took another 30 minutes before Lee Bowyer grabbed an equaliser that had an air of controversy. Macclesfield had thought the ball was out of play when Julien Faubert got his cross in for Bowyer to head in at the near post.

West Ham finally went in front in the tenth minute of extra time with Cole, a substitute, heading in Ashton’s nod back across goal. Hines and Reid completed the win. “The young lads pulled us out of it, they came on with fresh legs and fresh minds and I was pleased with them getting their goals,” Curbishley said.

Keith Alexander, the Macclesfield manager, was furious with the sending-off. “It was a scandalous decision,” he said. “It cost us the game. Our performance did not deserve the referee spoiling the game for us, but you don’t get those kind of decisions at places like this.”