West Ham 2-0 Middlesbrough

By Sam Lyon

Tevez capped another man-of-the-match display with the second goal

Carlos Tevez grabbed his third goal in three games in a man-of-the-match display as the Hammers inched nearer safety with a comfortable victory.

The Argentine once again proved the hosts' shining light and he helped get them off to a great start, setting up Bobby Zamora to lash in on two minutes.

Tevez then made it two with a fine goal after a ricochet off Andrew Taylor.

Yakubu headed Boro's best chance wide late on but it would have been scant consolation after a toothless display.

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Interview: Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate

With games against Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United to come, this was a must-win match for the Hammers and they got off to a dream start.

Zamora, in from the start after coming off the bench to fire a controversial winner against Blackburn last week, latched on to Tevez's deflected cross six yards out and thumped home the opener after just two minutes.

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Unlike at Ewood Park a fortnight ago, there was no doubt it crossed the line, and it could have been two for the hosts moments later had Jonathan Woodgate not halted Tevez's mazy run.

As so often has been the case this season, Tevez was carrying the Hammers forward almost single-handedly, and Middlesbrough were unable to deal with the Argentine's work-rate and skill.

In fact, such was the hosts' early dominance, that Boro had to wait until the half-hour mark to trouble Robert Green in the West Ham goal, George Boateng's curler easily saved by the home keeper.

The visitors' resurgence did not last long, though, and West Ham ended the half just as they had begun it.

After Zamora's cross-shot had been palmed away by Schwarzer, McCartney curled in a cross from the left wing that bounced off Taylor and fell to Tevez, who fired into the roof of the net from six yards.

Zamora, centre, celebrates his opener after just two minutes

It was no more than the hosts deserved, and the relief around Upton Park was palpable.

Boro boss Gareth Southgate responded to his side's first-half ineptitude by sending the team out for the second half a full five minutes before the Hammers emerged.

It did not have the desired effect, however, and instead the visitors were lucky not to concede a penalty when substitute Adam Johnson clearly handled Tevez's cross before the hour.

Middlesbrough were ragged and, with their confidence clearly growing, West Ham were happy to play a patient approach game.

And the Hammers, who had only kept four clean sheets in the league before the game, were also keeping their wits about them at the back, James Collins producing a fine stop to deny Yakubu with the striker set in the box in a rare Boro attack.

The Nigerian should have done better from Johnson's cross minutes later, though, heading wide unmarked from eight yards.

Luis Boa Morte came on for the Hammers late on and had a fine chance to wrap up the win with his first goal for the club, but his low drive was kept out by Schwarzer.

It mattered little, though, as the Hammers condemned Boro to a fourth league defeat on the trot to move within five points of safety.

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West Ham manager Alan Curbishley:
"It's a very happy dressing room tonight, because we are still alive after two good results and the confidence is growing.

"This was just another in a long line of must-win games and we've got the result we deserved. I've said it all along that in training the boys are superb, we just haven't been reproducing it, but lately we have and that's pleasing.

"We're still fighting and Charlton's win draws a couple more clubs into the reckoning which can only be good for us."

Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate:
"There's no hiding from it, we were very very poor. We conceded goals at bad times but it was no more than we deserved.

"I have no idea if the players were tired after the international break, but I really didn't see this coming.

"We've let ourselves down and dropped well short of the standard we set ourselves. We'll just have to address it in the week and I expect a response next week."

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West Ham: Green, Neill, Ferdinand, Collins, McCartney, Bowyer, Noble, Reo-Coker (Mullins 66), Etherington, Zamora (Blanco 67), Tevez (Boa Morte 82).
Subs Not Used: Carroll, Spector.

Goals: Zamora 2, Tevez 45.

Middlesbrough: Schwarzer, Xavier, Woodgate, Pogatetz (Huth 69), Taylor, Parnaby (Johnson 55), Boateng, Rochemback (Euell 87), Downing, Yakubu, Viduka.
Subs Not Used: Jones, Lee.

Booked: Pogatetz.

Att: 34,977

Ref: M Halsey (Lancashire).