Andy Carroll continued his barnstorming form for West Ham, netting a first-half double that consigned Middlesbrough to another dispiriting Premier League defeat at the Riverside.
Carroll, fresh from his brilliant strike against Crystal Palace, once again made Hammers' fans forget the absent Dimitri Payet as he delivered more delight for his under-pressure manager Slaven Bilic with a bullet header from a corner after nine minutes.
Then after Cristhian Stuani had brought Middlesbrough back into the game with a brilliant team goal, Carroll turned from destroyer into poacher as he snaffled a second just before the break in a frenetic game.
Boro cursed their luck after Stuani hit the bar and Rudy Gestede squandered a late chance but the Hammers sealed a fifth win in seven league matches when substitute Jonathan Calleri scored in the 94th minute.
Reuters.
