West Ham dented Wigan's hopes of survival in the Barclays Premiership as the visitors went level on points in the league table after they netted a goal in each half to earn victory. Goals from Luis Boa Morte, Yossi Benayoun and Marlon Harewood could prove fatal to Latics as the season nears the conclusion.

The Hammers scored on the half hour mark as they caught Latics cold. Lucas Neill's long pass found Luis Boa Morte, who clattered into the oncoming John Filan on the edge of his own area and the ball looped into the empty net.

The Upton Park club doubled their lead two minutes before the hour when Josip Skoko's free kick was cleared away by the Hammers, who then broke away in a clinical move which totally stunned Latics. Tevez released George McCartney who raced down the left flank, and a simple passing move via Bobby Zamora saw Yossi Benayoun fire in the second goal via the far post.

Alan Curbishley's men rounded the afternooon off with seven minutes remaining when Boa Morte broke the offside trap with only Filan to beat, although he unselfishly passed the ball to substitute Marlon Harewood to tap the ball into an empty net.

Henri Camara was recalled to the starting line-up to partner Emile Heskey, and Lee McCulloch also started which meant both Ryan Taylor and Paul Scharner were on the substitutes bench, although the latter replaced Landzaat in the second half. Carlos Tevez started for the Hammers despite the club receiving a record fine for the controversial transfer of the Argentinean last summer.

It was a nervy start from Latics in the early stages, and they suffered a blow when captain Arjan De Zeeuw had to come off due to injury moments after some brilliantly timed challenges on Benayoun. David Unsworth was the replacement.

Although Latics appeared edgy at first it was not deserved that they should be trailing after the first goal as both sides failed to create any clear cut chances. However it looked promising for Latics in the 27th minute when Emmerson Boyce's cross found the head of Emile Heskey, who headed agonisingly wide of the far post.

Lee McCulloch tried his luck from range on 36 minutes with a low drive but it was saved comfortably by Hammers goalkeeper Robert Green.

Latics came out of the second half with a more positive approach and Leighton Baines' saw his cross headed on by Camara, but the ball landed straight into the hands of the 'keeper. Later in the second half Baines also saw his corner headed on by substiute Paul Scharner before the Hammers cleared the danger. And it summed up Wigan's day when Heskey saw his shot blocked by James Collins in the last two minutes of normal time.

But once the Hammers took the lead, they began to take the upper hand and threatened the goalmouth more than the home side. Tevez was also proving to be a nuisance as he twice could have dented Wigan's scoreline deficit further during the closing stages of the first half. The Argentine sidestepped Matt Jackson and curled his shot just beyond the far post, and moments later he latched onto Zamora's backheel and then saw his shot blocked.

The visitors could have made it three nil on 64 minutes when Tevez latched onto a long ball and saw his shot rebound off the near post. Luis Boa Morte followed up with a rebound shot but it was heroically cleared by Baines.

The result was not good for Latics, although with Liverpool having to play both Charlton and Fulham, and West Ham having to travel to Manchester United on the last day of the season, there could yet be more twists and turns in the next fortnight.

Latics: Filan; Boyce, De Zeeuw (c) (Usworth 24), Jackson, Baines; McCulloch, Skoko, Landzaat (Scharner 46), Kilbane (Aghahowa 54); Camara, Heskey

Subs: Pollitt, Taylor.

Booked: Camara.

West Ham: Green; Neill, Collins, Ferdinand, McCartney; Benayoun, Reo-Coker (c), Noble, Boa Morte (Mullins 85); Zamora (Harewood 68), Tevez. (Spector 83)

Subs: Davenport, Spector, Cole.

Booked: McCartney, Reo-Coker.

Referee: Graham Poll (Hertfordshire)