Hull City's miserable run away from home continued after West Ham United snatched all three points in Saturday's 1-0 win.
Mark Noble's 75th-minute penalty earned an unlikely victory for the Irons after the Tigers had missed a hatful of chances to end their run of matches on the road without a goal or a point.
The result lifts Slaven Bilic's men five points clear of the relegation zone, with Mike Phelan's charges now propping up the division after Sunderland's home victory over Watford.
A scrappy opening 15 minutes between the two sides, wholacked confidence, offered nothing in the way of goalmouth action, with Payet the only player on the field to produce even a slight half chance that was deflected behind.
It was unexpected, then, when the Hammers almost gifted Hull the chance to take the lead on two occasions inside two minutes.
Dieumerci Mbokani picked up a loose overhit backwards pass on the edge of the area, but fired wide of the upright after twisting and turning past Winston Reid.
The striker was then handed an even more gilt-edged opportunity from Aaron Cresswell's wayward backpass, but Mbokani was again aghast to see his first time effort cannon off the post with Darren Randolph stranded in no man's land.
Those two gifted chances gave the away side a boost in morale, if not in composure. Randolph produced an outstanding one handed save from Maguirefrom Robert Snodgrass' corner, Mbokani fired over the bar following Michael Dawson's deft flick on and Pedro Obiang nearly put the ball past his own keeper after beating the onrushing Maguire to Andy Robertson's deflected ball forward.
The hosts, meanwhile, had just a Payet free kick - held by David Marshall - to show for their attacking efforts as they toiled to create anything of note against their sturdy opponents.
Halfhearted shouts from Hull players for a penalty early in the second half, from an apparent Reid handball, were waved away by referee Lee Mason, before doing likewise as West Ham calls went up as the ball ricocheted off Mbokani's arm from a Hull corner.
Mark Noble almost nodded a fizzing low centre from Robertson past his own keeper, but the Hammers captain was fortunate to see the ball crack back off the right hand post, before Hull's left-back thundered a cracking drive off the opposite side of the upright as the Tigers were thwarted by the woodwork once more.
Robertson was in the thick of the action again moments later as he cleared substitute Andre Ayew's header off the line from Payet's corner, before fellow sub Edmilson Fernandes did likewise to deny Michael Dawson at the back stick.
Hull were made to pay for their profligacy as, with 15 minutes to spare, West Ham were handed a chance to take an undeserved lead. Tom Huddlestone was adjudged to pulled Michail Antonio back in the penalty area, but replays suggested the decision by Mason to give a penalty was soft.
Nevertheless, Noble stepped forward to stroke the ball confidently to Marshall's left to finally give Hammers fans something to cheer.
14 - Hull have conceded the first goal of the game on 14 occasions this season in the PL; more often than any other team. Routine.
Marshall had to be at at his best to tip Payet's dipping free kick over the bar, while Antonio was prevented from extending the home outfit's lead by a last-ditch challenge from Dawson.
The Hull shot stopper also had to be alert after Payet had danced his way through the Tigers' defence late on as the match ticked into added-on time.
Hull threw the proverbial kitchen sink in a bid to salvage something from the encounter but, aside fromMaguire's late effort from an angle aside, the Irons held on for a much needed win.
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15 - Mark Noble has scored 15 of his last 17 penalties in the Premier League. Converted.