Leicester City 2-1 West Ham United

Andy King scored Leicester's winner with four minutes left

• Leicester win first league game in nine

• Foxes' Nugent has penalty saved at 1-0

• King scores first goal in 12 months

• Pearson's side four points from safety

Substitute Andy King's late winner revived Leicester's Premier League survival hopes as they beat West Ham.

Esteban Cambiasso's superb 20-yard left-footed strike gave Nigel Pearson's side the early lead, but the Foxes' David Nugent then had a penalty saved.

West Ham enjoyed a sustained spell of pressure after that and deserved Chiekhou Kouyate's equaliser.

Kouyate hit the post in the second half, but King turned in Jamie Vardy's mis-hit shot with four minutes to play.

It was the Wales midfielder's first goal of the season, and ended Leicester's run of eight league matches without a win, stretching back to 10 January.

Nigel Pearson's side remain bottom of the table, four points adrift of safety, but the attacking threat they showed will give their manager hope that they can yet avoid the drop.

Leicester keeper Kasper Schemichel - just back from a broken foot - was making his first home appearance since early December

Pearson's need for victories prompted him to play an extra attacking midfielder in Riyad Mahrez, rather than bring in a direct replacement for injured centre-back Matthew Upson.

The result was a first-half display full of attacking vigour, but marked by defensive vulnerability. Leicester's decision to bring on Marc Albrighton for Mahrez at half-time did at least reduce the threat that Aaron Cresswell had been providing down the West Ham left, although both teams continued to create openings in a terrific match.

The hosts should have been two goals up inside the first 15 minutes of a breathless contest, yet could have been behind by the break.

Cambiasso's strike gave them the ideal start, as he steered a shot into the corner after Nugent's attempted pass had bounced off the back of defender James Collins.

Within moments, Hammers full-back Carl Jenkinson conceded a penalty with a mistimed sliding challenge on Leonardo Ulloa, but keeper Adrian - who looked to have come off his line early - dived to his left to save Nugent's spot-kick.

The visitors had several chances to equalise before they did, eventually scoring when Jeffrey Schlupp got underneath Alex Song's diagonal ball in, leaving Kouyate unmarked to control and finish at the far post.

The final 25 minutes brought a glut of opportunities at both ends, with Leicester substitute Jamie Vardy passing up three in quick succession.

West Ham rode that spell of pressure to create several good openings of their own, the best of which ended with Kouyate hitting the post after being set up by Diafra Sakho.

Kasper Schmeichel made a terrific flying save to tip over Downing's deflected shot, and Jenkinson headed Morgan Amalfitano's cross straight at the Leicester keeper.

But in a gripping finish, Andrej Kramaric had a shot cleared off the line moments before fellow substitute King scrambled in a winner to Pearson's delight.

Leicester manager Nigel Pearson: "In the first half, we got off to a good start and missed a penalty - and I think the players had a moment of doubting themselves.

"That allowed West Ham to have a dominant spell. But in the second half, we did a good job of taking the initiative again, and I think we deserved to win the game."

West Ham manager Sam Allardyce: "I just can't believe we missed so many chances. When you're in control of the game, you have to take the chances when you get them.

"Against a team battling for survival such as Leicester, if you get the lead, it kills them. They start to think: 'Here we go again.' That's how ruthless you have to be. Because we didn't do that, it gave them the chance."

Adrian's penalty save from David Nugent came less than three minutes after Esteban Cambiasso's opener

Cheikhou Kouyate had scored previously against Arsenal, Manchester United and Tottenham this season

Andy King's last goal was on 1 April last year, away to Wigan

Nigel Pearson's side face West Brom, Swansea and Burnley in their next three matches