Wanderers 1, WEST HAM 0: IT was not pretty - in fact at times it was downright ugly - and there was an element of good fortune attached to it!

But that just served to heighten the satisfaction as Wanderers secured the victory to stop the rot that was threatening to turn their Premiership dream into a nightmare.

Irritated to the point of despair by good performances counting for next to nothing in recent weeks, Sam Allardyce and his players were starting to wonder where to look next for inspiration and encouragement.

The irony is that, having played so well so often for no reward, they managed to claim their first win in 13 attempts with one of their scrappier, less convincing displays of the season.

And wasn't Allardyce delighted!

"The chief's been dying for us to win a game and play really rubbish," Simon Charlton said unashamedly after assisting admirably in the second half rearguard action that earned Wanderers their first Reebok win since the shock defeat of Liverpool on August 27. "There have been so many times when we've played really well and managed just to sneak a draw or, more often than not, lost. And that's heartbreaking.

"But when you can play scruffy and things go your way ... that's how Manchester United win Championships, getting wins when they don't play well."

Charlton's use of the word "rubbish" was particularly appropriate after a game in which Wanderers' latest signing, Denmark international Stig Tofting, exerted the kind of influence that could make him a major player in the survival mission.

Stig of the Dump or Stig of the Slump were the handles the tabloid headline writers had prepared to welcome the 32-year-old bandy-legged midfielder who bears the scars of previous scraps and the slogan "No Regrets" on his tattooed torso. But, after he showed the combative qualities that have already booked him a ticket to the World Cup Finals, they wouldn't dare.

Here is a man with no pretensions, no airs or graces but an obvious desire to make his presence felt. He might be frowned on by the purists, who demand a more impressive pedigree from their Premiership players, but he looks ideally bred for a dog-fight and, should he succeed in his mission, he will earn a place in the hearts of every Bolton fan.

They already chant his name after seeing how he launched one of his trademark long throws to tee up the goal that proved the matchwinner seven minutes before half time when Fredi Bobic and Mike Whitlow got the vital touches to tee up Ricardo Gardner for his second strike on successive Saturdays.

After that it was backs-to-the-wall with Wanderers surrendering ground and possession to Glenn Roeder's Hammers and having to defend deeper and deeper.

But that didn't worry Allardyce, who recalled situations early in the season when similar tactics brought similar results.

"When we started the season we were exactly the same," he pointed out. "That was what produced many of the good results we had. We spent many, many long periods of the games against Middlesbrough and Liverpool in particular where we couldn't get out of our own half and that happened in the second half on Saturday.

"But it does mean that all the players are concentrating on the defensive unit correctly and are not likely to make basic errors that may cost us a goal. It got tense and nervous towards the end but there were that many bodies behind the ball that West Ham found it difficult to break it down."

They still needed a touch of luck, however, and were relieved to see Richard Garcia and Christian Dailly both miss the target with free headers from Vladimir Labant corners and were grateful for a smart save by Jussi Jaaskelainen in the dying seconds when he went full stretch to hold Paul Kitson's close range header to keep only his second clean sheet in 12 Premiership games.

He also did well to keep out Jermain Defoe's shot in the first half but that and an inexplicable rush of blood by Michael Ricketts on 22 minutes, when Tofting put him through for a head-to-head with David James, were the only other attacking highlights of a game marred by strong winds, a bumpy pitch and an understandably nervous approach to such a crucial fixture.

Never mind that West Ham were weakened by injuries, illness and suspensions that ruled out Paolo di Canio, Tomas Repka, Michael Carrick, Don Hutchison and Trevor Sinclair, all the pressure was on Wanderers at the start of a six-match series they all know - manager and players alike - will go a long way to deciding their Premiership fate.

"I don't think this was THE game we had to win," Gudni Bergsson suggested, "but in the context of things it was still very important for us to get the points. We realised that and we responded to the challenge.

"But it's only the start. There is still a long way to go but at least we are not in the relegation zone. We're not far off, of course, so we have to be cautious and can't allow ourselves to get carried away but it's a good feeling to be winning again."

Wanderers were doubly delighted when they checked out the other results - Leicester, Derby, Blackburn, Ipswich, Everton and Southampton all losing while Middlesbrough managed just a point - and looked forward more optimistically than ever to clashes with Southampton, Blackburn, Sunderland, Derby and Charlton in the coming weeks.

They know they will need to be equally resilient and much will rely on the back line - Allardyce's strongest back four - in which Bruno N'Gotty was outstanding. But, if they have indeed rediscovered the formula that served them so well in those heady early days, they can be formidable once more on their travels and may finally be able to turn the Reebok into a fortress.

"I think the gaffer's got his back four how he wants it," Charlton suggested, "and it's good for us to repay that faith with a clean sheet. Winning was so important and words just can't explain how we feel.

"We all know the position we are in but we've got a long break now where we can recover, get over our bumps and bruises and be ready for the next five games, which I firmly believe will be make or break for us. "After that period we'll know where we stand in the league."