WEST HAM 1 NEWCASTLE 0

Kanoute latched on to an intelligent through ball from substitute Davor Suker and instinctively thrashed the ball past Shay Given in the Newcastle goal to the thunderous acclaim of a relieved Upton Park.

Prior to the strike, The Hammers had looked willing but far from able as they attempted to reverse a run of five home games without a win and remove the anxiety from their suffering manager.

And the relief with which Redknapp greeted the final whistle demonstrated the importance of the victory and the irrelevance of the performance as West Ham now climb to the giddy heights of 15th in the Premiership.

Newcastle arrived at Upton Park looking for their first win in 19 visits to London and knew they would never have a better opportunity as West Ham continue to see their bubbles burst on home soil.

But for all their prompting and mobility in midfield they spurned good chances in both halves and eventually slumped to their seventh defeat in 11 games on their travels.

However, the Magpies almost obtained the best possible start when Nolberto Solano crossed to Alan Shearer at the near post in the early stages. And only a sensational reaction stop from former Newcastle keeper Shaka Hislop denied the visitors the lead.

Frank Lampard struck for the Hammers moments later when he latched onto a Kanoute s cross but unlike the Premiership's record-goalscorer, he criminally failed to work the keeper from only six-yards out.

Lampard nearly made amends for his earlier profligacy when he spectacularly volleyed Joe Cole s cross from the edge of the box. Shay Given, however, matched the young midfielder's skill and somehow tipped the ball over the bar.

Rio Ferdinand, who scored an own goal against Arsenal seven days earlier, nearly matched his effort against the Gunners when he stretched to clear a Gary Speed free-kick, but Hislop saved his blushes and the game remained level.

Kanoute, who before his goal was testing the home fans patience with some unconvincing forward play, blazed over the bar five minutes before the break, a feat matched by Shearer seconds into the second half.

Cole, who continued to look the main source of hope for hammers fans as Paulo di Canio continues to suffer from his inhibitive moodswings, went close twice in a minute as Redknapp's men took the initiative in the latter stages.

Winterburn departed after 65 minutes with a hamstring strain and was replaced by the long-serving Steve Lomas and it was down the vacant right flank that Shearer attacked, fizzing just wide of Hislop's far post on the hour.

However it was Redknapp's next switch that brought him the joy of a victory on home soil when he threw Suker into the fray and was instantly rewarded as the Croatian slipped in Kanoute to fire home.

West Ham: Hislop, S. Pearce, Sinclair, Ferdinand, Winterburn, I. Pearce, Lampard, Carrick, Cole, Di Canio, Kanoute. Subs: Bywater, Potts, Suker, Moncur, Diawara.

Newcastle: Given, Goma, Acuna, Lee, Dyer, Shearer, Speed, Griffin, Solano, Hughes, Lua-Lua. Subs: Harper, Bassedas, Cordone, Glass, S. Caldwell.

Referee: M Riley (Leeds)