Dean Hammond swept home a last-gasp equaliser to deny West Ham victory and boost Brighton's survival hopes.

Marlon Harewood's second-half strike looked to have given West Ham a vital win in their bid to make the Coca-Cola Championship play-offs.

But Hammond, who had earlier cancelled out Nigel Reo-Coker's first-half opener, met Richard Carpenter's cross deep into stoppage-time to earn his side a priceless and well-deserved point.

The result sees West Ham leapfrog Reading into sixth on goals scored, while Brighton are now in the relegation zone on goal difference only from Crewe.

Brighton started with a clear gameplan to close the visitors down quickly but they were undone by a touch of class from Teddy Sheringham after just eight minutes.

The veteran forward sparked West Ham's first attack with a neat pass to set Matthew Etherington clear down the left.

Etherington's cross was helped on by Harewood and eventually found Reo-Coker, who tucked away a simple header.

Carpenter sent a 30-yarder narrowly over as Brighton looked to hit straight back.

The Seagulls began to exert some pressure on West Ham's rearguard but all too often the final ball was lacking.

Carpenter saw another shot deflected behind by Anton Ferdinand while a Leon Knight cross fizzed across the face of goal with no-one on hand to apply the finishing touch.

The home fans were screaming for a penalty when Dan Harding went down under a challenge from Tomas Repka, but instead the Brighton wing-back was booked for a dive.

Reo-Coker should have doubled West Ham's lead when put clean through by Sheringham's cute back-heel, but the midfielder skewed his shot wide.

Chris McPhee squandered a golden opportunity to level for Brighton shortly after the interval when he scuffed Knight's cross wide of Jimmy Walker's near post.

But moments later the Seagulls got their equaliser. McGhee threw on wily midfielder Gary Hart for defender Adam El-Abd and the move paid immediate dividends when Hart's cross was headed home the unmarked Hammond after 54 minutes.

But the home fans' jubilation lasted barely a minute when a long clearance was flicked on by Sheringham for Harewood to neatly lift the ball over the advancing Alan Blayney to restore the Hammers' lead.

Knight curled a free-kick narrowly wide with Walker scrambling before a tiring Sheringham was replaced by former Seagulls hero Bobby Zamora.

Harewood and Zamora both put half-chances over the crossbar as West Ham looked for a killer third but Brighton were always a threat and Harding saw an effort deflected into the side-netting by Repka.

And their pressure was rewarded two minutes into injury-time when Hammond rose highest to meet Carpenter's centre and plant a header past the helpless Walker.

Teams

Brighton Blayney, El-Abd (Hart 51), Virgo, Butters, Harding, Reid, Oatway (Robinson 69), Carpenter, Hammond, McPhee, Knight.

Subs Not Used: Mayo, Jones, Shaaban.

Booked: Harding.

Goals: Hammond 54, 90.

West Ham Walker, Repka, Ferdinand, Ward, Powell, Newton, Reo-Coker, Mullins, Etherington (Fletcher 80), Harewood, Sheringham (Zamora 59).

Subs Not Used: Bywater, Brevett, Chadwick.

Booked: Reo-Coker.

Goals: Reo-Coker 8, Harewood 55.

Att: 6,819

Ref: A Penn (W Midlands).