Avram Grant admitted Saturday's fightback to draw 3-3 at West Bromwich Albion was more than welcome - even if it was not so good for the health.
The manager watched on as the Baggies raced into a three-goal lead by the 32nd minute through Graham Dorrans, Jerome Thomas and a Winston Reid own goal. It was all too easy for the home side, even if Carlton Cole was wrongly flagged for offside when he 'scored' at two-nil, while debutant Demba Ba and Gary O'Neil struck the woodwork just before half-time.
Grant believed the stirring comeback after the interval - that could easily have been a victory had there been more luck in the dying minutes - underlined his confidence in securing survival. The Hammers are also off the bottom and the draw means they remain just two points from safety, with West Brom the team to catch.
The second half story had begun with Grant not changing his personnel until the first goal back. Ba showed poise to rifle in from eight yards on 50 minutes and Cole headed in from substitute Frederic Piquionne's headed first touch eight minutes later. The superb Piquionne then headed against the bar before Ba secured a point with a superb half-volley on 83 minutes.
"We have what it takes to stay up," said the manager. "The fight in the second half showed that the spirit was not low. Despite the problems we have had with players that can't play this season, we have shown a lot of character. Not many teams could do what we have done at three-nil down.
"We came to win the match and only for neutral supporters was it a great game. From our side, we were not good in the first half and started very sloppy. To come back from three-zero is good but it is not good for the health. But as a manager I can't think about anything other than changing the game."
Change the game is exactly what the manager achieved. He adopted a calm and considered tone at the interval to put things right, going on to make the right decisions at the right times in the second half. "I didn't lose my temper. My job was to make them relax and give them the right things to change the game.
"In my nature, I always think in football things can change. I thought only about how we could change it because one goal can change everything. That's what happened."
Piquionne was an inspired alteration, with the manager going for broke by teaming him up with Cole and Ba in a powerful front three. "Freddie made a big difference. It was one of the reasons that we wanted to bring players in the transfer window because we didn't have a good bench.
"It is good to have players like him to come in - or Cole or Ba when they are on the bench - because we have lost Robbie Keane after his first two good games and Victor Obinna who was in fantastic form."
Keane is out for at least a month with a calf injury suffered against Birmingham City a week ago, while Obinna returned from his international trip to Nigeria with an ankle injury. Also missing out were the established first-choice centre-backs Matthew Upson - hence Scott Parker as captain - and James Tomkins.
"We needed to play Manu da Costa even if he is not 100 per cent fit. It was not easy for him but he gave everything. We might not have Upson, Tomkins and Gabbidon back for another week or two."
The manager preferred to keep the focus on those who played, with Mark Noble having a hand in all three goals and Parker commended by the manager for the passion shown for the armband.
"We attacked so well and the players were very lively and clever in the second half. We could have won, two times we hit the bar, we hit the post and had another off the line. It was an unbelievable game.
"We paid for the poor beginning but in psychology terms we will take more away than West Brom. There were a lot of positives to take from the match. I don't think it is usual for a West Ham side to come back like this. The character is here."