West Ham boss Alan Pardew believes his team are close to proving themselves following last night's 1-0 win at Gillingham.

Marlon Harewood's 13th-minute goal secured a third successive league win - and third clean sheet - for the Hammers, something they had not previously managed this season.

They also avenged a calamitous 2-0 defeat at Priestfield last season, when Trevor Brooking was in temporary charge, going some way to squashing claims that they don't fancy the special pressures of lowly opponents.

"It was a big win because we came with a couple of ghosts around us," said Pardew.

"Now we've got three wins on the trot in the league and it's nice to get that off our backs at last."

Pardew was particularly keen to praise the back four, who have kept three clean sheets in recording those wins over Cardiff, Plymouth and now the Gills.

"Anyone who watches us this year will know the back four has been a big problem but we have that consistency there now," he said.

"Anton Ferdinand has come to the fore and he had a terrific first half for us when they put us under a bit of pressure.

"We know we are always going to score goals, so the defence is very important for us.

"Stephen Bywater also played very well last night.

"He had a little blip earlier in the season when I took him out of the side and he was disappointed with that.

"We told him he had to use it to get to that next level, to start making the next step and he has done that."