It was a triumphant afternoon for West Ham United at the JJB Stadium as the Hammers enjoyed a 3-0 win against Wigan Athletic to keep their hopes of Premiership survival very much alive.
Goals from Luis Boa Morte, Yossi Benayoun and substitute Marlon Harewood gave Hammers a comprehensive victory, drawing them level on 35 points with the Latics and giving them a fighting chance of staying in the Premiership.
The first half was an end-to-end battle. Bobby Zamora nearly burst into the box in the opening minute after some hesitant Wigan defending but Matt Jackson recovered to clear.
Seconds later Henri Camara found space on the edge of the box but Anton Ferdinand made a timely interception.
Lucas Neill went down under an early challenge but continued to play, albeit gingerly. Wigan skipper Arjan De Zeeuw landed awkwardly in the Hammers penalty area but he too dusted himself off and carried on until being substituted in the 24th minute.
In the 12th minute Carlos Tevez skipped into the box and struck the ball at goal but the shot was blocked by Jackson. Tevez fired in a corner moments later but it was just too high for Bobby Zamora to make contact with his head.
Hammers retained possession and Mark Noble played the ball back into the box but Luis Boa Morte was closed down as he attempted a shot. The ball came out to George McCartney but his volley flew off target.
There was a nervy moment for Green as Wigan then went on the attack and the ball was played back to him as Heskey dashed forward. But the Hammers keeper kept calm and took the ball round the Wigan striker to clear.
Heskey came close to heading Wigan into the lead as he nodded down Emmerson Boyce's upfield cross with just over 25 minutes gone, but it landed wide of the post.
Tevez carved out a scoring opportunity two minutes later but his effort also travelled wide.
Luis Boa Morte scored his first goal for the Hammers right on the half hour mark as Neill played a long ball, tempting Boyce and John Filan to dash forward. Boa Morte then chipped the stranded keeper from the edge of the box.
Hammers nearly went two up less than five minutes later. Yossi Benayoun played the ball through to Boa Morte, who squared across the six yard line to Zamora but Leighton Baines and substitute David Unsworth charged down the shot.
Lee McCulloch tried a shot from 20 yards as Wigan regained possession but Green dived to save.
Tevez displayed trademark skill to take the ball round Jackson in the penalty area but he curled his shot around the outside of the post. Hammers pressed forward again as Zamora played Tevez in with a backheel but the Argentine's shot was blocked and Filan gathered.
McCartney made a vital interception as Camara was poised to shoot but the left-back was booked in first-half stoppage time for a late lunge on McCulloch.
Early in the second half Neill found Nigel Reo-Coker on the right flank but his cross wasn't quite at the right angle for Zamora to get a clear header on target. Wigan then pressed forward and Neill had to be quick to clear the ball from the path of Camara.
With just over half an hour left Benayoun put the Hammers 2-0 ahead. Tevez played in McCartney on the left wing and the left-back crossed to Zamora who held the ball up and passed to Benayoun as he darted into the box. The Israel midfielder took a touch and calmly slotted the ball to Filan's left.
Somehow, Hammers were denied a third goal in the 64th minute. Zamora played a long ball up to Tevez, who took the ball into the box and struck the post with his shot. The rebound fell to Reo-Coker but Baines cleared the skipper's follow-up off the line.
Ten minutes after the goal, Wigan earned a dangerous free-kick on the edge of the box in the box. Skoko floated it in and Collins came across to head it clear but Green caught it.
Moments later Heskey fired in a low drive but Noble and Collins threw themselves in front of the ball and it sailed out of play for a corner, which Green caught.
In the 81st minute Marlon Harewood scored his third goal in as many games at the JJB Stadium to put the Hammers 3-0 up. Tevez played Reo-Coker in and the Hammers' skipper set Boa Morte running through on goal. He drew Filan out and laid the ball off to Harewood, who struck it into the empty net.
Collins appeared to be suffering with a stiff ankle but played on to throw himself in the way of Heskey's fierce shot in the 89th minute as the Hammers closed the game out and kept a clean sheet.
Wigan Athletic: Filan; Boyce, De Zeeuw (c) (Unsworth, 24), Jackson, Baines; Kilbane (Aghahowa, 53), Skoko, Landzaat (Scharner, 46), McCulloch; Camara, Heskey
Subs not used: Pollitt, Taylor
West Ham United: Green; Neill, Ferdinand, Collins, McCartney; Benayoun, Noble, Reo-Coker (c) (Mullins, 85), Boa Morte; Tevez (Spector, 83), Zamora (Harewood, 67).
Subs not used: Davenport, Cole.
Goals from Luis Boa Morte, Yossi Benayoun and substitute Marlon Harewood gave Hammers a comprehensive victory, drawing them level on 35 points with the Latics and giving them a fighting chance of staying in the Premiership.
The first half was an end-to-end battle. Bobby Zamora nearly burst into the box in the opening minute after some hesitant Wigan defending but Matt Jackson recovered to clear.
Seconds later Henri Camara found space on the edge of the box but Anton Ferdinand made a timely interception.
Lucas Neill went down under an early challenge but continued to play, albeit gingerly. Wigan skipper Arjan De Zeeuw landed awkwardly in the Hammers penalty area but he too dusted himself off and carried on until being substituted in the 24th minute.
In the 12th minute Carlos Tevez skipped into the box and struck the ball at goal but the shot was blocked by Jackson. Tevez fired in a corner moments later but it was just too high for Bobby Zamora to make contact with his head.
Hammers retained possession and Mark Noble played the ball back into the box but Luis Boa Morte was closed down as he attempted a shot. The ball came out to George McCartney but his volley flew off target.
There was a nervy moment for Green as Wigan then went on the attack and the ball was played back to him as Heskey dashed forward. But the Hammers keeper kept calm and took the ball round the Wigan striker to clear.
Heskey came close to heading Wigan into the lead as he nodded down Emmerson Boyce's upfield cross with just over 25 minutes gone, but it landed wide of the post.
Tevez carved out a scoring opportunity two minutes later but his effort also travelled wide.
Luis Boa Morte scored his first goal for the Hammers right on the half hour mark as Neill played a long ball, tempting Boyce and John Filan to dash forward. Boa Morte then chipped the stranded keeper from the edge of the box.
Hammers nearly went two up less than five minutes later. Yossi Benayoun played the ball through to Boa Morte, who squared across the six yard line to Zamora but Leighton Baines and substitute David Unsworth charged down the shot.
Lee McCulloch tried a shot from 20 yards as Wigan regained possession but Green dived to save.
Tevez displayed trademark skill to take the ball round Jackson in the penalty area but he curled his shot around the outside of the post. Hammers pressed forward again as Zamora played Tevez in with a backheel but the Argentine's shot was blocked and Filan gathered.
McCartney made a vital interception as Camara was poised to shoot but the left-back was booked in first-half stoppage time for a late lunge on McCulloch.
Early in the second half Neill found Nigel Reo-Coker on the right flank but his cross wasn't quite at the right angle for Zamora to get a clear header on target. Wigan then pressed forward and Neill had to be quick to clear the ball from the path of Camara.
With just over half an hour left Benayoun put the Hammers 2-0 ahead. Tevez played in McCartney on the left wing and the left-back crossed to Zamora who held the ball up and passed to Benayoun as he darted into the box. The Israel midfielder took a touch and calmly slotted the ball to Filan's left.
Somehow, Hammers were denied a third goal in the 64th minute. Zamora played a long ball up to Tevez, who took the ball into the box and struck the post with his shot. The rebound fell to Reo-Coker but Baines cleared the skipper's follow-up off the line.
Ten minutes after the goal, Wigan earned a dangerous free-kick on the edge of the box in the box. Skoko floated it in and Collins came across to head it clear but Green caught it.
Moments later Heskey fired in a low drive but Noble and Collins threw themselves in front of the ball and it sailed out of play for a corner, which Green caught.
In the 81st minute Marlon Harewood scored his third goal in as many games at the JJB Stadium to put the Hammers 3-0 up. Tevez played Reo-Coker in and the Hammers' skipper set Boa Morte running through on goal. He drew Filan out and laid the ball off to Harewood, who struck it into the empty net.
Collins appeared to be suffering with a stiff ankle but played on to throw himself in the way of Heskey's fierce shot in the 89th minute as the Hammers closed the game out and kept a clean sheet.
Wigan Athletic: Filan; Boyce, De Zeeuw (c) (Unsworth, 24), Jackson, Baines; Kilbane (Aghahowa, 53), Skoko, Landzaat (Scharner, 46), McCulloch; Camara, Heskey
Subs not used: Pollitt, Taylor
West Ham United: Green; Neill, Ferdinand, Collins, McCartney; Benayoun, Noble, Reo-Coker (c) (Mullins, 85), Boa Morte; Tevez (Spector, 83), Zamora (Harewood, 67).
Subs not used: Davenport, Cole.