The result was all but cemented in the first half as an early goal from Jhon Arias was followed by a Hwang Hee-chan penalty and superb Mateus Mane strike.

It made for a miserable return to Molineux for former Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo, who is struggling to revive the fortunes of the Hammers and now under considerable pressure.

The London side remain four points adrift of safety in 18th place the Premier League after a run of nine games without a win.

Given that the tenures of his predecessors Julen Lopetegui and Graham Potter proved shortlived, the Portuguese – already sacked by Nottingham Forest this season – may not survive much longer.

For once bottom side Wolves were not the ones doing the soul searching as they claimed a much-deserved first victory of the season.

Buoyed by ending their own dismal sequence of 11 successive defeats with a draw at Manchester United on Tuesday, Rob Edwards’ men were a team with a spring in their step.

Still with just six points to their name their fate seems certain, but their fans at last had something to celebrate.

The hosts started brightly and struck after just four minutes as Hwang, who had already made one good run, burst into the box and pulled back from the left.

Arias slid in to meet his low ball and tuck in his first Wolves goal from six yards.

That was enough for Wolves supporters to start taunting the Hammers that they would be relegated alongside them, and they were even jokingly chanting about winning the league when they doubled the lead on 31 minutes.

Referee Peter Bankes pointed to the spot after Max Kilman failed to clear a cross and Soungoutou Magassa brought down Mane as they vied for the loose ball. Hwang sent his penalty down the middle.

Mane almost made it 3-0 soon after when Alphonse Areola saved his header with his foot but the lively teenager did not have much longer to wait for his first senior goal.

It came as he turned brilliantly outside the area and buried a low shot into the bottom corner from 18 yards.

Magassa blasted over as West Ham belatedly threatened but Hugo Bueno went close to a Wolves fourth when he forced a good save from Areola after the break.

Areola also denied Mane and kept out a header from Yerson Mosquera as Wolves continued to make the better chances.

With little prospect of turning the game around, Nuno opted not to send on new £21.8million striker Pablo Felipe.

The home fans goaded their former manager as time ran out without the visitors managing a single shot on target.