Joe Cole and Paolo di Canio each scored a goal of supreme quality and Frederic Kanoute added a third to finally banish West Ham's fears of relegation.

It was always going to be a day to test the nerves of West Ham, as they needed a point from this game to be sure of retaining their Premiership status.

Their first half performance was decidedly edgy and they were lucky not to trail Southampton, who looked the better side.

But goals win matches and the Hammers claimed all three points with two superb finishes in the space of 12 second half minutes.

The first came after 58 minutes. Kanoute battled to win possession on the right flank and fed Svetoslav Todorov in the box. He set up Cole with a delightful back-heel, and the youngster buried the ball in the far corner to give West Ham the lead.

Skipper di Canio then made sure of the points with a brilliant individual goal after 70 minutes.

He picked up the ball on the right edge of the box, cut inside and resisted two challenges before tucking it into the bottom corner.

Those goals eased the nerves and signalled a late onslaught from the home side, whose season had looked so promising just a few weeks ago before a slump in form saw them crash out of the FA Cup and slide down the table.

There could have been further goals for substitute Sebastian Schemmel and Kanoute, but Paul Jones saved well in the Saints goal.

One more goal did follow, and the icing on the cake for West Ham came four minutes into stoppage time when Kanoute headed home di Canio's free-kick.

Caretaker manager Stuart Gray has yet to see his side win since taking over from Glenn Hoddle, but his men deserved more from this game and West Ham were flattered by the final scoreline.

Harry Redknapp had asked for a match-winning performance from di Canio, and the Hammers skipper looked fired-up to help his team claim the point they need to be safe from relegation.

Di Canio, playing on the left of midfield, helped set up the first chance inside two minutes, when he made a good run down the flank before passing inside to Michael Carrick.

Carrick played a one-two with Todorov on the edge of the box and fired in a low drive which Jones saved.

But Saints looked dangerous on the break and after five minutes Kevin Davies forced a save from Shaka Hislop with a low shot from a tight angle on the right edge of the six-yard box.

West Ham stepped up the pressure and forced three successive corners. From the third one, Kanoute won a downward header which was hooked off the line.

It was end-to-end, and after seven minutes Davies whipped in a good cross which saw James Beattie send a header just over the bar.

Hislop came to West Ham's rescue after 16 minutes. A well-worked Saints free-kick saw Marian Pahars get in a good header at the near post, but the home goalkeeper managed to claw it to safety diving low to his right.

Todorov released Kanoute on the edge of the box, but the big French striker slipped as he shot and wasted the opportunity.

In a game they could not afford to lose, West Ham were looking nervous when Southampton attacked, and they gave the ball away to Davies after 24 minutes. But luckily for them his shot from 25 yards sailed over the bar.

The game became very scrappy as West Ham looked like a team fighting for their lives, rather than needing just the one point from two games to beat the drop - and that assuming Manchester City would win their last two matches.

Southampton should have scored after 66 seconds of the restart. Hassan Kachloul curled a free-kick into the West Ham six-yard box, Hislop came and missed it, and Davies out-jumped Pearce and headed over an empty goal.

West Ham were lacking ideas, and di Canio was losing patience and moaning at his defenders who were playing long clearances rather than the team's usual passing game.

Pahars went close after 56 minutes, racing down the left and drilling a shot just beyond the far post.

But then came a goal of supreme quality to light up the match and dispel the nerves after 58 minutes.

Kanoute battled to win possession and fed Todorov in the box. He set up Cole with a delightful back-heel, and the youngster buried the ball in the far corner to give West Ham the lead.

Di Canio made sure of the points with a brilliant individual goal after 70 minutes.

He picked up the ball on the right edge of the box, cut inside and resisted two challenges before tucking it into the bottom corner.

Di Canio had the ball in the net again after 77 minutes, but it was ruled out for offside.

Southampton had deserved more for their efforts but it was not to be. The biggest cheer for the visiting fans came after 78 minutes when Matt Le Tissier made an appearance, coming off the bench.

Kanoute wrapped up the game four minutes into stoppage time, rising well to nod home di Canio's free-kick.

Teams:

West Ham: Hislop, Foxe, Song, Stuart Pearce, Stimac (Bassila 52), Dailly, Carrick, Cole, Di Canio, Kanoute, Todorov (Schemmel 72).

Subs Not Used: Bywater, Potts, Diawara.

Booked: Stuart Pearce, Foxe.

Goals: Cole 59, Di Canio 70, Kanoute 90.

Southampton: Jones, Dodd, Marsden, Lundekvam, Richards, Oakley, Davies, Beattie, Pahars (Le Tissier 78), Bridge, Kachloul (Rosler 69), Rosler (Tessem 85).

Subs Not Used: Moss, Benali.

Booked: Davies.

Att: 26,041

Ref: C Wilkes (Gloucester).