Veteran defender Stuart Pearce was sent off after a minute of madness just before half-time.

Pearce was booked for a foul on Everton's Duncan Ferguson and then 60 seconds later needlessly brought down Everton's Tony Hibbert in the area to allow David Unsworth to dispatch the spot-kick.

Striker Duncan Ferguson could have had a hat-trick within 10 minutes at Upton Park as Everton, desperately needing the points to secure their Premiership safety, began enterprisingly.

First, Ferguson sent a snap shot from 18 yards just inches over the bar. Then he found himself in oceans of space in the six-yard box only to side-foot the ball wide as West Ham's defence struggled to close him down.

Finally Thomas Gravesen sped down the right to chip in an exquisite cross. But Ferguson, with the goal gaping, inexplicably failed to connect with the header.

West Ham's French striker Frederic Kanoute might have given West Ham the lead after 18 minutes, slicing a right-foot shot just wide after good approach work by Paolo di Canio.

With both defences struggling, it made for fabulous entertainment and chances were coming thick and fast at either end. But it was West Ham's England triumvirate of Joe Cole, Michael Carrick and Frank Lampard who were beginning to exercise more control in midfield.

Cole should have scored after 20 minutes, the ball breaking free to him in the Everton penalty area only for the teenager to crash his shot from eight yards against an Everton defender.

For all West Ham's pretty football it was Everton who looked more penetrative on the break, Gravesen and debut boy Tony Hibbert working well down the left while Scot Gemmill was industrious in midfield.

Ferguson, the focal point of almost every Everton attack, had another left-foot curler saved by Shaka Hislop after 32 minutes.

But at the other end Everton were thankful to goalkeeper Paul Gerrard, who palmed away a stinging di Canio cross-cum-shot.

Just before half-time, however, Everton took the lead after a minute of madness by West Ham defender Stuart Pearce.

First he was booked for a an innocuous foul on Ferguson and a minute later he brought down Hibbert on the edge of the penalty area to give away a spot kick.

Referee Andy D'Urso produced the red card for Pearce and also booked di Canio for dissent before Everton dispatched the spotkick to give Everton a half-time lead.

HT: West Ham 0 Everton 1

Kanoute was booked by D'Urso in the 68th minute for 'diving' on the edge of the area, such was West Ham's increasing desperation.

Their effort could not be faulted for they were sweeping forward in wave after wave of attack in search of the equaliser.

But time and again they blasted high and wide from long-range when a more considered approach might have borne fruit.

In the 71st minute, however, Everton extended their lead - a quite exquisite pass from Ferguson with the outside of his left foot falling into the path of Niclas Alexandersson whose shot eluded Shaka Hislop's despairing dive.

Teams

West Ham: Hislop, Stuart Pearce, Song, Stimac, Foxe, Winterburn, Carrick, Cole, Lampard, Di Canio, Kanoute.

Subs Not Used: Bywater, Moncur, Schemmel, Soma, Todorov.

Sent Off: Stuart Pearce (45).

Booked: Stuart Pearce, Di Canio, Kanoute.

Everton: Gerrard, Dave Watson, Weir, Unsworth, Alexandersson, Nyarko, Ball, Gravesen (Jeffers 80), Gemmill, Ferguson, Hibbert.

Subs Not Used: Simonsen, Jevons, Clarke, Tal.

Booked: Ball, Unsworth.

Goals: Unsworth 45 pen, Alexandersson 71.

Att: 26,044

Ref: A D'Urso (Billericay).