Southampton consolidated their lead at the top of the Championship after beating title rivals West Ham 1-0 in their showdown this evening.

West Ham’s unbeaten away record came to an end after Jos Hooiveld headed in a late first-half winner. The Saints extended their incredible run at home to 17 consecutive wins and struck the first significant blow in the promotion battle.

The Hammers kept faith with John Carew and Sam Baldock in attack after their three goals in the 4-0 win over Blackpool at the weekend.

Sam Allardyce was forced into a change at the back with a groin injury for James Tomkins leading to a start at centre-back for Abdoulaye Faye.

Henri Lansbury was rested at the weekend but he returned to the side in place of Saturday’s goalscorer Jack Collison.

Southampton’s only change was captain Dean Hammond starting in place of midfielder Jack Cork.

The visitors got off to a fast start and Matt Taylor had the first shot on goal which was saved by the legs of Kelvin Davis.

Southampton created their first opportunity when Hammond lashed a long-range volley which fizzed over Manuel Almunia’s crossbar.

West Ham had to make an early change when Matt Taylor, who had been a doubt with a calf injury, was replaced by Freddi Piquionne.

There was a scare for the Irons midway through the half when a harmless cross was almost headed in by Winston Reid after a lack of communication between him and his goalkeeper.

The Saints came close after 30 minutes when Rickie Lambert headed the ball back in the area and Richard Chaplow volleyed over the bar from close range.

West Ham created a decent opportunity when Carew set up Kevin Nolan but the skipper’s strike from outside the box was just too high.

The visitors were looking increasingly dangerous and they tested Davis when Julien Faubert’s cross fell to Baldock but his effort was saved.

Southampton responded and Almunia was called into action when he saved Chaplow’s close-range effort.

The Saints nearly opened the scoring before the break when David Connolly’s shot was brilliantly blocked by Faye.

But the Irons fell behind in the 45th minute of the match when defender Hooiveld rose to head in Hammond’s corner.

The Hammers made a lively start to the second half but Reid was unable to keep his composure as he volleyed well over the bar from an attack.

Southampton nearly doubled their lead from a free-kick but Lambert’s fierce effort was deflected past the post.

West Ham should have equalised after 53 minutes when Baldock raced clear on goal but his effort floated inches past the far post.

The match was wide open now and the Saints came close again when Connolly’s low strike went narrowly past Almunia’s post.

West Ham came within a whisker of the equaliser when a quick free-kick played in Nolan but the former Newcastle midfielder’s shot was well saved by Davis.

The Irons made their second change midway through the half when Mark Noble was brought on in place of Papa Bouba Diop.

Southampton carved open another chance when the excellent Chaplow fired a long-range effort which was only just over the crossbar.

The hosts should have killed off the game but Guly Do Prado was denied by a superb save from on-loan keeper Almunia.

West Ham made their final change with Joey O’Brien coming on in place of Carew. Faubert pushed forward into midfield as the visitors searched for an equaliser.

Noble came close with five minutes remaining when his free-kick was pushed round the post by Davis. The visitors kept up the pressure and were unlucky to see Noble’s cross shot hit the post.

Substitute Steve De Ridder put the ball in the net but the referee called play back for a Southampton free-kick.

West Ham had five minutes of injury time but they could not find another opporunity and they suffered a first away defeat of the season.

Southampton: Davis; Richardson, Fonte, Hooiveld, Fox; Do Prado (De Ridder, 85), Hammond, Schneiderlin, Chaplow (Harding, 74); Connolly (Cork, 82), Lambert

West Ham: Almunia; Reid, McCartney, Faye, Faubert; Nolan, Taylor (Piquionne, 20), Bouba Diop (Noble, 66), Lansbury, Carew (O’Brien 79), Baldock

Referee: Darren Deadman

Attendance: 32,150