Bobby Zamora celebrated his home debut with the winner as West Ham stayed in touch with the promotion pack at the expense of stubborn Cardiff.

The hosts dominated a lively encounter but the combined attacking talents of Zamora, Marlon Harewood and David Connolly were constantly thwarted by goalkeeper Martyn Margetson and his woodwork until the former Spurs striker ended Cardiff's resistance after 73 frustrating minutes.

Alan Pardew has urged his players to improve on their home form if they are to put some pressure on Norwich and West Brom in the automatic promotion places and they started brightly with Michael Carrick bursting through, although the linesman's flag was up well before the midfielder slotted the ball into the net.

But Cardiff looked dangerous on the break and Alan Lee, starting his first game in three months, forced a smart save from Stephen Bywater before Robert Earnshaw charged clear only to see his effort well saved.

The visitors were dealt a blow when Rhys Weston hobbled off with an injury, but they were lucky not to go down to 10 men when Danny Gabbidon escaped with only a yellow card for bringing down Zamora.

Nigel Reo-Coker, one of six Hammers' first-teamers ineligible for the midweek FA Cup exit at the hands of Fulham, sent a fierce shot narrowly wide before Zamora and Christian Dailly both wasted excellent chances.

Zamora failed to connect properly to Jon Harley's left-wing cross before Dailly, who passed a late fitness check after requiring 14 stitches in a head wound sustained against Fulham, headed wide from Carrick's corner.

Etherington was then denied by a fine save from Margetson after a one-two with Reo-Coker put the former Tottenham winger clean through.

Reo-Coker rattled the post with another long-range effort as the opening half drew to a close, and the woodwork came to Cardiff's rescue again shortly after the restart when Zamora latched on to Connolly's pass and saw his left-foot shot bounce back off the crossbar.

Zamora continued to find space behind the Cardiff defence but another collective groan echoed around the Boleyn Ground as he sent a good chance wide before Harewood cut in from the right to force Margetson into action.

The breakthrough finally came when Zamora ran on to Connolly's flick-on from the halfway line, outstripped Gabbidon for pace and coolly slotted the ball past Margetson.

The Hammers have let six leads slip at home this season, but despite a late rally Cardiff were unable to take advantage of their hosts' nerves and Pardew was able to celebrate three more valuable points towards his side's bid to bounce back into the Premiership.

Teams West Ham: Bywater, Repka, Mullins, Dailly, Harley, Harewood (Nowland 76), Reo-Coker, Carrick, Etherington, Zamora (McAnuff 86), Connolly (Deane 80).

Subs Not Used: Srnicek, Melville.

Booked: Repka.

Goals: Zamora 73.

Cardiff: Margetson, Weston (Prior 20), Vidmar, Gabbidon, Barker, Boland, Parry (Campbell 80), Kavanagh, Langley (Robinson 63), Earnshaw, Lee.

Subs Not Used: Alexander, Whalley.

Booked: Gabbidon.

Att: 31,858

Ref: G Cain (Merseyside).