"Last week we put in a performance at Millwall which we couldn't be proud of but we did the job today," said a relieved Alan Pardew after seeing his side miss a whole host of chances.
"It was a tough, tough game and we had to be on our game today. We've stuck together as a team and after the ridicule that we've endured during the past few days I just want to show some dignity in victory."
Having been beaten 4-1 at the New Den and nudged out of the play-off spots too, in midweek, the Hammers could not have got off to a better start. For when Michael Carrick swung over a third minute corner Marlon Harewood nodded into the path of the unmarked Bobby Zamora who blasted West Ham ahead with an angled eight-yarder.
But despite suffering that earlier Hammer blow, Gillingham came within a whisker of an instant reply as Patrick Agyemang outwitted Andy Melville and whipped a tightly angled shot across goal.
On the half hour, however, Zamora should have grabbed the second but his finish was far too casual and Steve Banks gratefully palmed his low ten-yarder aside.
That was to be the first of several squandered chances.
And how the Hammers looked set to pay the price for such wastefulness. Indeed, on 32 minutes Richard Hope headed down for Danny Spiller to lash a rising 15 yarder under the well beaten Stephen Bywater's left hand angle to equalise for the gleeful Gills.
Zamora, however, still had less reasons to be cheerful as Banks saved his point-blank injury time header and just after the break the West Ham striker saw an equally close range shot blocked on the line.
On the hour, Zamora then tried his luck from distance but this time the luckless forward saw his low 20 yard effort palmed aside.
The Kent side was by no means out of it at this stage and after Andy Hessenthaler sent a rising shot over the lively Mamady Sidibe forced Bywater into an awkward low save.
With 20 minutes left, Pardew shuffled the pack with the introduction of both Brian Deane and Adam Nowland.
And Etherington quickly proved himself to be the ace in the pack as he collected from Nowland and sprinted goalwards before trickling a low 15 yard shot between Banks and his right hand post to claim that crucial winner.
"For our work rate we could have got something," observed Hessenthaler.
"With four out of our next five games at home our season rests on those next few matches.
It's all about character from here. We've worked hard to get into Division One and we've got to make sure we stay here."