West Ham's jovial stadium announcer got it just about right before this game at Upton Park.

Jeremy Nicholas, the man on the microphone who since January has played the theme tune to the film The Great Escape before kick-off, declared: "We are at the last chance saloon, but time hasn't been called just yet."

The Hammers started the day six points adrift of safety, but a goal from Trevor Sinclair after 76 minutes closed the gap on Bolton to four points with three games remaining, and three points on Leeds who play Fulham on Tuesday.

Glenn Roeder's men put in another committed display but looked edgy throughout and although they dominated against Steve McClaren uninterested looking Boro team, they were so devoid of ideas in front of goal that Boro goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer had an easy afternoon to mark his 200th league appearance for the club.

But the tension was finally lifted when Glen Johnson charged down the right flank, pulled the ball back into the box and Sinclair swept a low shot inside the far post.

It was not pretty, but it was three vital points, and the belief that West Ham can survive is still there.

It was nervy start by the Hammers as they gave the ball away three times in as many minutes.

Tomas Repka made a bad decision after just 25 seconds as he tried to shepherd the ball out for a goal kick. Malcolm Christie nicked it away and almost set up Maccarone, but Rufus Brevett made a saving tackle.

Skipper Joe Cole tried to put behind him the unsavoury events at the Reebok Stadium - where he was in trouble with the police and faces a possible prosecution - and after four minutes he drove in an angled shot from the right edge of the box which Schwarzer pushed away.

Schwarzer was tested again by Sinclair's low drive from 25 yards after 13 minutes but again he managed to scramble the ball away as he dived to his right.

Jermain Defoe tried a cheeky back-flick when he met Cole's cross after 33 minutes, but Schwarzer was again equal to it.

Despite dominating the half, David James had to come to West Ham's rescue after 39 minutes when Repka sliced a clearance back towards his own net, and the England goalkeeper was forced to tip the ball over the bar.

From the corner, Cole raced clear for the home side and deserved better than to see his shot from the edge of the box finish just wide.

Some confusion in the home defence almost let in Maccarone a minute before the break, but his overhead kick was wide.

Repka was again the guilty party as he conceded a free kick in injury time five yards outside his own area. Juninho's curling shot was saved but not held by James at his near post and when Maccarone forced the ball back across the face of goal Brevett had to hook it clear to keep the sides level at the break.

West Ham had a good opportunity to finally find a way past Boro's organised defence when George Boateng barged Lomas over just two yards outside his own box in a central position. The chance was wasted, however, as Sinclair drove his shot into the wall.

A Sinclair cross after 59 minutes was met by a tame header from Ferdinand and the home fans must have been wondering where a goal was going to come from.

Yet again, it was surprising that Roeder's bench included two central defenders in Christian Dailly and Gary Breen and no sign of the inspirational former captain Paolo di Canio.

The rift between the Italian striker and the manager must run particularly deep for a player of such talent to be excluded from the squad.

Things nearly got worse for West Ham after 63 minutes as Greening delivered a low cross from the left and Gareth Southgate turned the ball just past the near post.

West Ham's luck was then summed up a minute later at the other end. Ferdinand found Sinclair with a clever pass to the right and met the return cross with a looping header. The ball dropped for Lomas but his shot hit the near post and Boro scrambled the ball away.

There was a sad moment for Roeder after 75 minutes. He got up from his seat in the dugout to walk to the edge of the technical area and was roundly booed.

But the mood lifted dramatically a minute later as West Ham finally took the lead. Johnson did well down the right before pulling the ball back to Sinclair inside the box, and he swept a low shot inside the far post. Suddenly the home fans were able to dream that the great escape might be back on.

Teams:

West Ham James, Johnson, Pearce, Repka, Brevett, Lomas, Cole, Cisse, Sinclair, Les Ferdinand, Defoe.

Subs Not Used: Van Der Gouw, Hutchison, Dailly, Breen, Garcia.

Booked: Brevett.

Goals: Sinclair 77.

Middlesbrough Schwarzer, Cooper, Ehiogu, Southgate, Queudrue (Stockdale 53), Greening, Boateng, Wilkshire, Juninho Paulista (Job 46), Christie (Ricketts 72), Maccarone.

Subs Not Used: Jones, Doriva.

Booked: Queudrue, Greening.

Att: 35,019

Ref: A Wiley (Staffordshire).