Teddy Sheringham and Bobby Zamora gave West Ham their third league win in
eight days and kept their play-off bid firmly on course.
Coventry gave the Hammers the perfect start when veteran centre-back Richard
Shaw headed Matthew Etherington's left-wing cross past his goalkeeper Luke
Steele to break the deadlock for Alan Pardew's team.
Sheringham kept his nerve a minute from time to slam in his 21st goal of the
season from the penalty spot, and 60 seconds later substitute Zamora headed home
another Etherington cross.
Home fans were due to stage a sit-in protest against chairman Terry Brown at
the end of the game, but they will be relieved their side sealed a win that
leaves Coventry still in relegation trouble.
But before half time, West Ham struggled to create chances against a
hard-working team concentrating primarily on keeping them out.
Mark Noble should have put his side ahead in the 33rd minute. Picked out on
the edge of the six-yard box by Sheringham's low right-wing cross, the
17-year-old tried a back-flick that rolled wide of the left post with Steele
beaten.
Coventry grew in confidence as the half wore on, and in stoppage time Hammers
keeper James Walker made a terrific save to keep out Gary McSheffrey's effort
from just inside the area.
And just after the break, Walker made another fine stop to keep out Robert
Page's header before West Ham took control.
First Marlon Harewood volleyed Shaun Newton's right-wing cross over the bar,
before Steele made a fine save to turn over Elliott Ward's 54th-minute header.
From the resulting corner the Coventry keeper blocked Newton's goalbound
volley and Noble put the rebound over.
Harewood was culpable twice more, sending another volley too high from
Sheringham's flick-on and then putting a free header wide from Tomas Repka's
cross on the hour mark.
Harewood's final contribution was to see his right-wing cross graze the
crossbar before he was replaced by Zamora.
West Ham's persistence was rewarded by good fortune in the 76th minute.
Etherington - a half-time replacement for Hayden Mullins - sent over a left-wing
cross which Shaw headed beyond his own goalkeeper at the near post.
Etherington, whose wing play made a huge difference after the break, was
fouled inside the box by Duffy and Sheringham scored at the second attempt after
his first effort was ruled out for encroachment.
Zamora gave the scoreline an emphatic look with a 90th-minute header from
Etherington's cross.
Teams:
West Ham Walker, Repka, Ferdinand, Ward, Powell, Newton,
Noble, Reo-Coker, Mullins (Etherington 45), Sheringham,
Harewood (Zamora 72).
Subs Not Used: Bywater, Fletcher, Chadwick.
Booked: Ward.
Goals: Shaw 76 og, Sheringham 89 pen, Zamora 90.
Coventry Steele, Duffy, Page, Shaw, Hall,
Osbourne (Staunton 30), Doyle, McSheffrey, Dyer,
Adebola (Morrell 80), Goater (John 68).
Subs Not Used: Pressman, Benjamin.
Booked: Duffy, Page, Hall, McSheffrey.
Att: 26,839
Ref: I Williamson (Berkshire).
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