Last updated on .From the section Football

Carroll's goal was his fifth of the campaign

West Ham keep first clean sheet in nine league games

Allardyce's side record first win in five

Hull have not scored in 10 of last 15 matches

Bruce's side remain in bottom three

West Ham moved back to within four points of the Champions League places after consigning relegation-threatened Hull to a third consecutive defeat.

Steve Bruce's injury-ravaged Hull had the better of the first half but were badly exposed after the break.

Andy Carroll prodded in after Allan McGregor pushed out Enner Valencia's shot and a cute Morgan Amalfitano dink from Valencia's pass doubled the lead.

Stewart Downing then rolled in a third after Alex Song split the Hull defence.

Formation changes key - Allardyce

After four games without a win since Christmas, the victory revives Sam Allardyce's hopes of earning the club a first appearance in continental competition since 2006.

But for Hull, a sixth defeat in eight games heightens concerns about their top-flight status.

Bruce's side, who are in 18th place, are just one point adrift of Sunderland and Burnley but the manner in which they capitulated after a promising first half was alarming.

Another worry ahead of their next match - the 31 January visit of Newcastle - is that James Chester and Alex Bruce have joined an already lengthy injury list.

A further concern will be the fact Hull have failed to score in six of their last eight games.

Ahmed Elmohamady spurned their best chance against West Ham, dragging a shot wide from 12 yards out after being picked out by lone striker Sone Aluko.

West Ham were equally impotent before the break.

They forced McGregor into action on just one occasion, the Scotland international having to tip a looping Valencia header on to the bar before smothering James Tomkins' header after the ball was not cleared.

Hull 'gifted' goals, says Bruce

But the hosts seized command four minutes after the interval when McGregor could only parry Valencia's fierce drive and Carroll reacted quickest to jab in the loose ball.

The concession spooked the visitors and their haphazard defending was exposed by two goals inside three minutes midway though the half.

First Hull defender Michael Dawson dropped off Valencia 30 yards out, allowing the Ecuadorian striker to turn and feed Amalfitano, who caressed a finish over McGregor.

Then on-loan Barcelona midfielder Song eliminated the Hull midfield and defence with one pass, allowing Downing to canter through and slip past the goalkeeper.

The final 18 minutes then became a procession as West Ham secured the win that keeps them in seventh place.

Amalfitano scored for the third time in 18 appearances for West Ham

Only Cesc Fabregas has provided more Premier League assists than Stewart Downing this term

James Chester had to go off injured after this challenge. Hull team-mate Alex Bruce also had to be replaced

Aluko - who caused Tomkins problems - had scored just once in his previous 31 games

Allardyce has led West Ham to their biggest Premier League points haul after 22 games