Is it time to place the Tigers of Hull City on the Barclays Premier League’s endangered list? Tenth they may be, but this was Hull’s sixth successive league defeat and the concern last night was not just about the result, but how easily West Ham United achieved it.

There was a Hull feel-good tale, with Matt Duke, the goalkeeper, saving a penalty and playing superbly in his first league start since overcoming testicular cancer last year. But otherwise this was an evening to emphasise how West Ham are developing confidence and fluency under Gianfranco Zola.

As Hull soared in the autumn, West Ham struggled; now the reverse is true. “It’s been a great month for us,” Zola, the West Ham manager, said. “I believe that losing games in October has been an important part of the build-up to this — the team is strong mentally.”

Phil Brown, Zola’s Hull counterpart, was not too downcast. “The biggest negative was the form that we’ve caught West Ham in,” he said. “They were playing with a lot of confidence based on recent results. We know we’re capable but with results of late, confidence does take a knock. We are in relegation form but I’ve seen sufficient to suggest we can get out of it.”

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Both sides began with their record signings on the bench. Jimmy Bullard was not fully fit after illness while the home side included Savio, the striker bought this week from Brescia.

After 17 minutes, David Di Michele curled the ball off the inside of the far post. Five minutes later, Carlton Cole tried to turn inside the area and was tugged back by Sam Ricketts. As he fell, Cole spun like a tombola on raffle day, and Howard Webb, the referee, gave a penalty.

After going almost a year without taking a spot-kick, this was Mark Noble’s fourth such effort this month. The previous three found the net but this one was mediocre and saved by Duke, selected ahead of Boaz Myhill in the Hull goal.

No need to fret with Hull defending so badly. After 33 minutes, Duke parried Cole’s cross-shot into Di Michele’s path, seconds after making a fine save from the Italian, who bundled in the loose ball.

West Ham again hit the woodwork after 39 minutes through Jack Collison. Then Duke made another smart stop, denying Cole when he was clean through.

Six minutes into the second half, Di Michele returned the favour to Cole: he lashed a low shot off the near post and it fell to Cole, who could hardly miss for his sixth goal in seven games.

Hull were brighter when Bullard came on, but West Ham left the pitch disappointed not to have won by a greater margin.

West Ham United (4-4-2): R Green — L Neill, J Collins, M Upson, H Ilunga — V Behrami, M Noble (sub: L Boa Morte, 84min), S Parker, J Collison (sub: J Faubert, 71) — C Cole, D Di Michele. Substitutes not used: J Lastuvka, Savio, D Tristán, J Tomkins, F Sears.

Hull City (4-3-1-2): M Duke — S Ricketts, M Turner, K Zayatte, A Dawson — D Marney (sub: B Mendy, 73(), I Ashbee, K Kilbane — Geovanni (sub: J Bullard, 53) — D Cousin, Manucho (sub: C Fagan, 53). Substitutes not used: B Myhill, R Garcia, P Halmosi, C Folan. Booked: Marney.

Referee: H Webb.