JOHN MONCUR stabbed home the priceless goal that gave the Hammers their ninth successive win over Leicester and lifted them two places away from the drop zone.

Moncur was on hand to force home his second and by far most important of the campaign 14 minutes from time when Leicester failed to deal with Steve Lomas' long throw.

Yet manager Harry Redknapp was clearly as concerned by the imminent loss of John Hart son, one of 10 bookings in a bad tempered affair, as he was overjoyed by Moncur's crucial strike.

And last night he picked up caution number 15 of the campaign, in addition to one red card, following a midair collision with Simon Grayson.

The win was reward for the boldness Redknapp had shown by keeping faith with Hugo Porfirio in what was on paper an attacking line up.

But while Lomas was as hard working as anybody could have asked him to be, the Hammers were otherwise decidedly unimpressive before Moncur's timely intervention.

Paul Kitson, slated by Redknapp after the costly penalty fiasco against Everton, might have done better than shoot wide.

Emile Heskey fired over from a Steve Walsh knockdown and then Ludek Miklosko held on at the second attempt after Elliott had diverted Garry Parker's free kick towards goal.

Leicester huffed and puffed but could not blow the Hammers house down. Both sides are still in trouble, but the Eastenders have lost just one in eight, Martin O'Neill's men are without a win in as many.