Kevin Davies scored a priceless second-half winner as relegation-threatened Bolton Wanderers edged past West Ham 1-0 at the Reebok Stadium.

The home side entered the fixture having lost seven of their last eight Premier League games; and without a win since the beginning of February. Lying four points from safety at the foot of the table, defeat here was unthinkable.

As bright sunshine poured down in Lancashire, Gary Megson's side were the beneficiaries of an early stroke of misfortune to befall the visitors - who lost arguably their most effective defender, Anton Ferdinand, after just three minutes.

Ferdinand was replaced by John Pantsil, and as a result West Ham appeared in defensive disarray throughout much of the afternoon.

In a disjointed first half both sides lacked imagination, with short passes sacrificed for hopeful long punts forward. An advertisement for the Premier League this was not, but it was Bolton who looked the most likely to break the stalemate.

Davies came close to putting them ahead on the half-hour mark, meeting Matthew Taylor's corner only to see his downward header cleared off the line by Scott Parker.

Five minutes before the interval it seemed the goal they desperately needed had arrived, when El Hadji Diouf tapped home Ivan Campo's free-kick at the far post. His celebrations were cut short by an offside flag. Bolton's long-suffering fans would not have long to wait.

With the second half barely underway, West Ham failed to clear Taylor's inswinging corner and Davies pounced to score his third league goal of season. A sense of relief swept the Reebok stadium.

West Ham would not go quietly, however, and as the game opened up they began to create chances of their own.

Luis Boa Morte drew a sharp save from Ali Al-Habsi on 55 minutes, and the Bolton goalkeeper bettered it with a superb stop from Dean Ashton's acrobatic effort moments later.

Kevin Nolan then became the second Bolton player to have a goal ruled out for offside, but it was the visitors who finished the stronger.

Ashton blazed a shot over the bar, and Al-Habsi made a smart save to deny Parker with 10 minutes remaining.

When the final whistle came Bolton were hanging on, but they will care little. At this end of the season all that mattered was the result, and with Birmingham CIty held at home by Everton, Wanderers are now just two points from safety.

Will Tidey / Eurosport