Junior Hoilett's opener was only his third goal of the season
Cardiff City produced a big performance at the right time as they put pressure on their relegation rivals with a vital home victory over a lacklustre West Ham.
The Bluebirds made a perfect start when Junior Hoilett swept home a fine move after just four minutes thanks to some questionable Hammers defending.
They doubled their advantage seven minutes after half time with Victor Camarasa bundling the ball home, and the Bluebirds might have added to that advantage in their most dominant home display of the season.
Declan Rice hit the post for the Hammers with 20 minutes remaining, but Manuel Pellegrini's side never truly looked capable of mounting a comeback, even when Cardiff goalkeeper Neil Etheridge denied Marko Arnautovic.
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Relive Cardiff 2-0 West Ham
Live reaction from this afternoon's Premier League games
Bluebirds boost their survival hopes
For Cardiff, there was a sense that this represented a must win occasion, with the Bluebirds' form having turned dramatically recently at the worst possible time.
Wins over Bournemouth and Southampton had taken Cardiff clear of the relegation zone, but they came into this one on the back of three defeats in succession with an aggregate score of 10-1 and having lost their most important defender, Sol Bamba, to a season-ending knee injury.
The Bluebirds do not play for three weeks now and three of their next four matches are against sides in the top six, just adding to the feeling that they had to win this one.
And they made exactly the start they would have hoped for, taking the lead via a fine driving run from Camarasa following his long injury layoff. His clever ball allowed Josh Murphy to cross and Hoilett was able to hook the ball home at the near post as West Ham's defenders stood statuesque around him.
Manager Neil Warnock would scarcely have believed how comfortably his side were able to keep their advantage in a first period of very few chances.
When West Ham did eventually fashion an opening, striker Javier Hernandez was booked for simulation after Bruno Manga's challenge - a rather apt summary of a toothless first half display.
City started the second half strongly, with Harry Arter shooting wide, and it was no surprise that they doubled their lead on 52 minutes with the same three players involved again.
This time Hoilett and Murphy were the providers. Hoilett crossed, Murphy headed back across the goal and Camarasa was on hand to beat Lukasz Fabianski to the loose ball and bundle home.
Oumar Niasse could have killed the contest when Aron Gunnarsson robbed Manuel Lanzini to send him clean through, but he missed the target.
Fabianski also denied Cardiff with a super double save from Niasse and Camarasa's follow-up.
West Ham consistently inconsistent
The Hammers continue to be a hard team to predict, with their form fluctuating in an inconsistent campaign.
Pellegrini's side came into this one on the back of two wins from three and having been arguably unlucky in defeat at Manchester City. But before that, they had won only one in seven.
The Hammers' recent problems have been on the road, where they have lost four of their last five, having failed to score in any of those defeats.
And it was 39 minutes until the Hammers managed a shot at the Cardiff City Stadium, with Mark Noble's speculative 50-yard effort easy for Etheridge to collect.
A better chance came the way of Robert Snodgrass on the stroke of half-time, but he fired over.
So toothless were the Hammers that it was no surprise to see top scorer Arnautovic introduced for the second half, as the Austrian has been involved in 10 goals in his last 11 league games against newly-promoted sides.
However, Cardiff were no less dominant after the break, with West Ham failing to test the Bluebirds' defence until the 70th minute, when Rice's 20-yard shot struck the base of the post.
Arnautovic shot firmly shortly afterwards but was denied by Etheridge as City held firm, with the Hammers' spirited final 20 minutes a case of closing the stable door after the horse had bolted.
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Line-ups
Match Stats
Live Text
Line-ups
Cardiff
1Etheridge
2Peltier
4MorrisonBooked at 85mins
5Ecuele Manga
3BennettSubstituted forBacunaat 62'minutes
17Gunnarsson
7ArterBooked at 29minsSubstituted forPatersonat 84'minutes
11Murphy
21CamarasaSubstituted forRallsat 68'minutes
33Hoilett
29Niasse
Substitutes
8Ralls
10Zohore
12Smithies
13Paterson
14De Cordova-Reid
15Bacuna
23K Harris
West Ham
1Fabianski
24Fredericks
23Diop
21Ogbonna
3Cresswell
41Rice
11Snodgrass
16NobleSubstituted forNasriat 58'minutes
10LanziniSubstituted forAntonioat 58'minutes
8Felipe AndersonSubstituted forArnautovicat 45'minutes
17HernándezBooked at 36mins
Substitutes
4Balbuena
7Arnautovic
13Adrián
14Obiang
18Nasri
26Masuaku
30Antonio
Referee:
Graham Scott
Attendance:
32,458
Match Stats
Home TeamCardiffAway TeamWest Ham
Possession
Home29%
Away71%
Shots
Home16
Away9
Shots on Target
Home7
Away2
Corners
Home7
Away5
Fouls
Home7
Away12
Live Text
Posted at
Match ends, Cardiff City 2, West Ham United 0.
Full TimePosted at 90'+7'
Second Half ends, Cardiff City 2, West Ham United 0.
Posted at 90'+1'
Corner, Cardiff City. Conceded by Ryan Fredericks.
Posted at 90'
Corner, West Ham United. Conceded by Neil Etheridge.
Posted at 90'
Attempt saved. Michail Antonio (West Ham United) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Marko Arnautovic.
Posted at 88'
Foul by Marko Arnautovic (West Ham United).
Posted at 88'
Josh Murphy (Cardiff City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 86'
Corner, West Ham United. Conceded by Lee Peltier.
Posted at 86'
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
BookingPosted at 85'
Sean Morrison (Cardiff City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Posted at 85'
Delay in match Lukasz Fabianski (West Ham United) because of an injury.
Posted at 85'
Delay in match Sean Morrison (Cardiff City) because of an injury.
Posted at 84'
Lukasz Fabianski (West Ham United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 84'
Foul by Sean Morrison (Cardiff City).
SubstitutionPosted at 84'
Substitution, Cardiff City. Callum Paterson replaces Harry Arter.
Posted at 83'
Foul by Robert Snodgrass (West Ham United).
Posted at 83'
David Junior Hoilett (Cardiff City) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Posted at 82'
Corner, Cardiff City. Conceded by Lukasz Fabianski.
Posted at 82'
Attempt missed. Aron Gunnarsson (Cardiff City) header from the centre of the box is too high following a corner.
Posted at 81'
Corner, Cardiff City. Conceded by Ryan Fredericks.
Posted at 80'
Foul by Marko Arnautovic (West Ham United).
Posted at 80'
Aron Gunnarsson (Cardiff City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 79'
Attempt missed. Robert Snodgrass (West Ham United) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Michail Antonio with a cross.
Posted at 79'
Attempt blocked. Aaron Cresswell (West Ham United) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
Posted at 75'
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Posted at 75'
Delay in match Oumar Niasse (Cardiff City) because of an injury.
Posted at 74'
Foul by Michail Antonio (West Ham United).
Posted at 74'
Oumar Niasse (Cardiff City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 74'
Corner, West Ham United. Conceded by Neil Etheridge.
Posted at 74'
Attempt saved. Marko Arnautovic (West Ham United) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by Samir Nasri.
Posted at 73'
Attempt blocked. Michail Antonio (West Ham United) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Aaron Cresswell.
Posted at 71'
Declan Rice (West Ham United) hits the left post with a right footed shot from outside the box. Assisted by Robert Snodgrass.
Posted at 70'
Michail Antonio (West Ham United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Posted at 70'
Foul by Sean Morrison (Cardiff City).
Posted at 69'
Foul by Michail Antonio (West Ham United).
Posted at 69'
Lee Peltier (Cardiff City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
SubstitutionPosted at 68'
Substitution, Cardiff City. Joe Ralls replaces Víctor Camarasa because of an injury.
Posted at 68'
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Posted at 66'
Delay in match Víctor Camarasa (Cardiff City) because of an injury.
Posted at 64'
Angelo Ogbonna (West Ham United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Source: bbc.com