Paolo Di Canio was the saviour once again after West Ham dominated and then threatened to shoot themselves in the foot.

The Hammers took the lead when Steve Lomas headed home Di Canio's cross after 35 minutes.

But they missed a hatful of chances and allowed Marcus Bent to poke home an equaliser after 71 minutes.

But mercurial skipper Di Canio settled the nerves when he put West Ham back in front after 75 minutes. His first shot was blocked by goalkeeper Matteo Sereni but he followed up to score with a clever scissors-kick.

Substitute Jermain Defoe rounded off the victory with a fine solo goal after 86 minutes, drilling home a low shot from the edge of the box to secure West Ham's first double over another Premiership club this season.

Defoe clearly enjoys facing Ipswich as he scored his first Premiership goal against them in the win at Portman Road - one of only two away wins this season for Glenn Roeder's men.

On that occasion he finished up wearing the captain's armband, and the same thing happened here as Di Canio placed it around his arm when the Italian was substituted in the 90th minute.

Victory moved West Ham on to 40 points and virtual safety, but left Ipswich in the bottom three.

If Ipswich are going to get the three wins they think they need to survive this season, they must get them sooner rather than later, as they face Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United in their final three games of the season.

The visitors had a lucky escape after nine minutes when Fabian Wilnis came within inches of scoring an embarrassing own goal.

Sebastian Schemmel sent in a low cross from the right and Wilnis sliced the ball just wide of the near post.

Lomas made a good forward run after 34 minutes and found the ball at his feet on the edge of the box thanks to a flowing passing move involving Michael Carrick, Trevor Sinclair and Di Canio. Unfortunately, he couldn't get the ball to settle and drove it at a wall of defenders.

But the Northern Ireland international then made an even better run into the box and gave West Ham the lead after 35 minutes.

Lomas was not picked up as he charged to the edge of the six-yard box and met Di Canio's curling cross from the right with a powerful header past Sereni.

It has been a torrid time for Lomas with injury this season, but he scored with a header against United last week and deserved his goal today for all his running.

It should have been two for the Hammers after 40 minutes as Schemmel made it to the by-line and pulled the ball back for Cole, but Sereni did well to push his low drive around the post.

West Ham picked up where they left off after the break and were well on top, but they needed a second goal to make the points safe and maintain their impressive home record.

That was highlighted after 61 minutes when James had to dive low to his left to save a 25-yard drive from George. A minute later the England goalkeeper had to rush out of his area and head clear as Bent closed in.

Kanoute incurred the wrath of the home fans again after 65 minutes when he was through on goal and was let down by his control before running straight into a defender.

The misses looked like proving costly as West Ham shot themselves in the foot after 71 minutes. Tomas Repka made a mistake which allowed Bent to fire a low drive past James for the equaliser.

But whenever West Ham need a saviour, there is Di Canio, and he came to the rescue with the vital goal after 73 minutes.

Di Canio saw his shot from 20 yards parried by Sereni. But while everyone else hesitated, the inimitable Italian followed up with a scissors-kick shot to bury the ball in the far corner for his eighth goal of the season.

Two minutes later Defoe replaced Kanoute and the youngster rounded off the victory with a fine solo goal after 86 minutes, drilling home a low shot from the edge of the box.

Teams

West Ham: James, Schemmel, Repka, Dailly, Winterburn, Lomas, Sinclair, Carrick, Cole, Kanoute (Defoe 76), Di Canio (Moncur 90).

Subs not used: Hislop, Labant, Pearce.

Goals: Lomas 36, Di Canio 74, Defoe 86.

Ipswich: Sereni, Wilnis, Clapham, McGreal, Hreidarsson, Venus, Holland, Wright (Tommy Miller 46), Peralta (George 54), Stewart, Marcus Bent.

Subs not used: Marshall, Armstrong, Darren Bent.

Booked: Tommy Miller, Marcus Bent.

Goals: Marcus Bent 71.

Att: 33,871

Ref: A Wiley (Burntwood).