A Mark Schwarzer blunder led to the only goal of an otherwise uninspiring contest as West Ham climbed into the top half of the Premiership for the first time this season.

The Boro goalkeeper's mishit clearance led to Frederic Kanoute's eighth Premiership goal of the season, 14 minutes from time, at Upton Park.

It ended Steve McClaren's side's eight-match stretch without defeat and to make matters worse Ugo Ehiogu was dismissed for a second yellow card a minute from time.

West Ham leapfrogged Middlesbrough and into 10th place in the table in the process.

On a bitterly cold east London afternoon, Ian Pearce returned from his injury nightmare and joined Tomas Repka, back from a ban, and Christian Dailly in West Ham's back three.

Pearce, out since last April with a knee injury, received a warm ovation from the Upton Park crowd before kick-off.

That provided a stark contrast to the crescendo of boos former Hammer Paul Ince - booked in the aftermath of Ehiogu's sending-off - received every time he touched the ball.

However, with Ehiogu off the field as early as the second-minute to have a face wound treated, Ince did get a decisive touch for the visitors while filling in at centre-back.

Jermain Defoe's drive appeared destined for the net but Ince's slide tackle took the pace off it and Schwarzer held on low to his right.

Yet, despite only having 10 men, the visitors might have been ahead in the 11th minute.

Benito Carbone swung over a corner and strike partner Alen Boksic rose to glance a header wide.

Then, with Ehiogu having just returned, Ince produced a timely tackle in the area to snuff out Kanoute in the process of shooting.

With their full complement of players on the field, Boro looked the likelier of the sides to open the scoring, a Nigel Winterburn drive that fizzed its way just wide aside.

Carbone, on loan from Bradford, volleyed straight at David James seconds after miscueing an attempt from a Franck Queudrue cross.

The Italian was then at the heart of a fine move as his crossfield pass released Queudrue, who in turn squared the ball across James' six yard-box but Jonathan Greening could not convert at full stretch.

That chance was followed by a volley from Noel Whelan which just cleared the bar.

Boro's frontline, revitalised since the arrival of Carbone at the Riverside, continued to look threatening.

But Carbone was chastised by Boksic as he dragged a 35th-minute shot off target with the Croatain free to his right.

West Ham, without suspended trio Paolo di Canio, Sebastian Schemmel and Trevor Sinclair, were robbed of another of their regulars shortly before the break as Don Hutchison was stretchered off after falling in an innocuous-looking tangle with Queudrue.

Vladimir Labant replaced him and was booked just seconds afterwards for a trip on Ince.

On the resumption, however, Labant showed his more effective side, forcing Schwarzer to scramble the ball around an upright from a free-kick after Joe Cole's mazy run across the edge of the area was impeded.

Slovakian Labant was in the thick of the action and his surge down the left was halted illegally by Ehiogu, which saw the England defender cautioned.

Greening followed his colleague into the book moments later as Glenn Roeder's side began to wrest the initiative.

But Boro were only denied the lead by a superb save by James after Ince, who left Upton Park 12-and-a-half years ago, had rifled his shot towards the bottom corner from 10 yards.

With the ball running loose from James' parry, Whelan retrieved and centred only for a glut of West Ham defenders inside the six-yard box to block out the danger.

Just as it looked as if the game was petering towards a goal-less draw, though, Schwarzer gaffe put West Ham in the lead.

Schwarzer raced out of his area to sweep up yet scuffed his clearance straight to Labant just inside the visitors' half.

Labant looked up and picked out Kanoute, 15 yards out, and the Frenchman controlled with his right and swept in a volley with his left through Queudrue's legs with Schwarzer scrambling to get back onto his line.

To add to Boro's frustrations Ehiogu was dismissed for his second caution, a foul on Labant, a minute from time.

Teams:

West Ham: James, Dailly, Pearce, Repka, Winterburn, Hutchison (Labant 42), Lomas (Garcia 87), Moncur, Cole, Kanoute, Defoe.

Subs Not Used: Hislop, Potts, Kitson.

Booked: Cole, Labant.

Goals: Kanoute 76.

Middlesbrough: Schwarzer, Stockdale, Southgate, Ehiogu, Queudrue, Greening (Nemeth 80), Mustoe (Windass 88), Ince, Whelan (Murphy 81), Boksic, Carbone.

Subs Not Used: Crossley, Gavin.

Sent Off: Ehiogu (89).

Booked: Stockdale, Ehiogu, Greening, Mustoe, Ince.

Att: 35,420

Ref: C Foy (St. Helens).