Last-gasp Fletcher goal takes heat off Hammers boss Pardew

West Ham 1 Cardiff 0

With the tensions of the fans rising, Fletcher ghosted into the box to head Chris Powell’s left-wing cross past the dive of goalkeeper Neil Alexander.

A relieved Pardew said: “It was a vital win for us. We had a few big players missing today and a bit of a disjointed side out and we just had to grind away. We were never going to look at our best, especially after the run we’ve had.

“In the first-half we needed more urgency and we tried to address that at half-time. We dominated the second half but one piece of quality at the end created a goal, albeit a minute after they had created probably their best chance.”

The result was harsh on Cardiff, who had the better of the chances.

Had they taken those they would have left Upton Park with all three points.

Peter Thorne fluffed a fourth-minute chance after West Ham failed to clear and Alan Lee was twice denied by Stephen Bywater either side of the break.

Bywater should have been beaten in the 71st minute. Former Hammer Jobi McAnuff caused havoc down the left before crossing into the box but Lee, Thorne and Richard Langley all miskicked with the goal gaping.

The Hammers had struggled to create many chances with Cardiff’s defence superbly marshalled by Danny Gabbidon.

Gabbidon blocked Fletcher’s goal-bound shot in the 38th minute and on the stroke of half-time his pressure caused youngster Mark Noble to head Marlon Harewood’s cross wide.

Harewood headed woefully wide before Lee wasted another glorious chance with three minutes remaining.

Lee failed to hit the target from 15 yards when well placed and his miss proved costly as the Hammers broke to snatch the points.

WEST HAM: Bywater, Mullins, Ferdinand, Mackay, Powell, Noble (Rebrov 84), Reo-Coker, Fletcher, Sheringham, Harewood, Zamora (Chadwick 61).

CARDIFF: Alexander, Weston (Vidmar 77), Gabbidon, Lee, Langley, Barker, Collins, McAnuff, Kavanagh, Thorne, Inamoto (Ledley 86).

Ref: K Stroud (Dorset).