Newcastle 3 - 0 Preston
Newcastle moved five points clear at the top of the Championship as they kept up their unbeaten home record.
The Magpies took only three minutes to score, Peter Lovenkrands' attempted cross clearing Preston keeper Andy Lonergan and dropping inside the post.
Top scorer Kevin Nolan doubled the lead after half-time when he burst into the penalty area and slotted in his 12th goal of the season.
Substitute Ryan Taylor fired in the third in injury time.
West Brom could narrow Newcastle's lead when they face Bristol City on Sunday.
But the Magpies' promotion chase shows no sign of letting up after a comfortable win over Preston, who had their chances but lost to a far more clinical side.
Newcastle boss Chris Hughton:
"I think it is the most important thing.
"We know West Brom and Nottingham Forest are one or two wins away from being a lot closer to us or being above us so we can't afford to lose focus.
"Our preparation has to be the same and our mental attitude going into every game has to be the same."
Preston boss Darren Ferguson:
"It was never a 3-0 game, that flatters Newcastle massively.
"They'll have a good chance of winning promotion if they get referees like today. You have to have strong referees, especially against Newcastle, and he wasn't strong enough.
"Overall I was pleased with the performance, if we play like that we'll be OK."
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West Ham 3 - 0 Hull City
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West Ham turned on the style to make it two wins in a row for the first time this season as fellow relegation strugglers Hull were reduced to 10 men.
Valon Behrami capped a surging run with a third-minute opener after exchanging passes with Guillermo Franco.
And Hull's problems increased shortly after the break when Craig Fagan was sent off for a second bookable offence.
Julien Faubert fed Carlton Cole for a slotted second before completing the win with a thumping late effort.
It was West Ham's fourth consecutive clean sheet at home, and the emphatic scoreline - not to mention the buoyant nature of the display against a relegation rival - will surely please manager Gianfranco Zola.
The Hammers came out of the blocks at lightning speed and although they did not build on their overall superiority until after Fagan's dismissal, their performance was brimming with a brio and belief that have too often been missing this season.
They were aided and abetted by a Hull side who, rarely in it apart from a brief spell of pressure before the break, were left with a mountain to climb after Fagan's departure.
The result leaves Phil Brown's side just a point above the drop zone.
Hull manager Phil Brown:
"It was self-inflicted, we had a game plan but it was unhinged by poor decision-making.
"The sending-off was also self-inflicted, it was a poor decision by Craig Fagan to make the tug because he was already in the book.
"The first diagnosis of Anthony Gardner's injury isn't good, he has a problem with both his tibia and fibula.
"It was a bad day at the office to say the least."
West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola:
"It was a good performance; we can do better, but the difference was the way we started.
"We were solid throughout the game and the second goal was important for us.
"Robert Green's save was worth a goal to us, because it allowed us to reorganise at half-time.
"The whole team is getting better; the more confidence you get, the more the players can give."
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