Zola begging for a third win

West Ham kept their first clean sheet in 25 matches but it was little consolation for manager Gianfranco Zola, who saw home fans walking out long before the end.

West Ham bungled their chance to end a six-match run without a win with a sloppy first-half attitude which allowed Pompey to take a grip on the game.

And even though Pompey boss Tony Adams would have been devastated at the sight of Lassana Diarra limping out of the contest early on, he would otherwise have been delighted with a game which saw the best chances fall to former Hammers striker Jermain Defoe.

Portsmouth had to start without the injured Sol Campbell and Niko Kranjcar, who pulled out with a foot problem just before the start.

But a midfield reshuffle, pulling Papa Bouba Diop in from the right and switching Nadir Belhadj from the left showed no sign of interrupting their rhythm in the first half, despite Diarra limping off after a challenge by Scott Parker.

Defoe's appearance was greeted with a chorus of boos - he demanded a transfer just a day after West Ham were relegated in 2003 - but home fans gave David James, who left them six months later, a much milder reception.

West Ham's early pressure briefly pushed Pompey back and the visitors had a big escape when Freddie Sears' cross clearly struck Sylvain Distin on the arm, only for the well-placed referee Martin Atkinson to wave play on.

Within a minute West Ham's Herita Ilunga picked up possession on the left and curled in a lovely cross which the unmarked Cole just could not reach six yards out.

Pompey could have taken the lead in the 10th minute when Glen Johnson capped a penetrating run on the right by slipping a ball into the box for Defoe, who just got to it before goalkeeper Robert Green but could only hook it over the bar.

Pompey pushed forward for a spell and Green was required to make a good save to deny another impressive run and shot from Johnson.

Defoe then challenged for Diop's through ball which spun away into the path of Crouch, who looked certain to score until Ilunga's challenge did just enough to put him off.

Zola brought on Matthew Etherington and Julien Faubert early in the second half but they were lucky not to be out of the game after two sublime moments by Defoe.

In the 48th minute he took Traore's pass, left Lucas Neill trailing and fired a
shot which forced Green into a brilliant save.

Two minutes later he pulled a long clearance out of the sky with a fine first touch, shrugged off Matthew Upson and almost lobbed Green only for the goalkeeper to tip over the bar.

Pamarot gave away a soft free-kick on the edge of the area but Bellamy's set-piece clattered back off the bar and James had to smother Jack Collison's follow up for his first real save in the 53rd minute.

James was not troubled by tame efforts from Bellamy and Cole soon afterwards but Hammers were seeing more and more of the ball and Pompey boss Adams brought on Kanu for the ineffective Crouch to try to turn the tide.

The Nigerian nearly made all the difference, his clever ball setting up Defoe for another chance but this time, though he side-stepped Upson, his angle was too tight and Green again made the block.

Pompey striker Jermain Defoe's appearance was greeted with a chorus of boos for the player who asked for a transfer just a day after West Ham were relegated in 2003 but home fans gave rival keeper David James, who left them six months later, a much milder reception.
West Ham's early pressure pushed Pompey back and the visitors had a big escape when after Nadir Belhadj gave the ball away Sears' cross from the right clearly struck Sylvain Distin on the arm only for the well-placed referee Martin Atkinson to wave play on.

West Ham's Herita Ilunga picked up possession on the left and curled in a lovely cross which the unmarked Cole just could not reach six yards out and with only James to beat.
But Pompey could just as easily have taken the lead in the 10th minute when Glen Johnson capped a penetrating run on the right by slipping a through-ball into the box for Defoe.
He got to it before keeper Robert Green but could only hook it over the bar, with Peter Crouch all alone in front of goal.

Lassana Diarra had to limp off for treatment after being caught by an unpunished late challenge by Scott Parker but came back to try to run off the injury which looked to be effecting his left leg.

But the little Frenchman was soon down on the turf in pain again and had to be replaced in the 19th minute by compatriot Armand Traore.
It needed a major reshuffle of the midfield with Belhadj switching from left to right and Diop moving into a central role.

Pompey pushed forward for a spell and Green was required to make a good save to deny another impressive run and shot by Johnson.

Hammers hit back and Kaboul effected a sound clearance to end a raid by the dangerous Behrami.

West Ham started to look a little more menacing with Collison causing problems from midfield especially when he broke and fired just wide.

But after 28 minutes there was a glimpse of an opening for Crouch at the other end. Diop tried to release Defoe through the middle but the ball bounced off defender James Collins and straight into Crouch's path on the edge of the area. Full back Ilunga just did enough to put the tall striker off his shot which sailed wide.

Pompey were threatening again when Defoe wriggled into the area and forced a corner with a low shot which was deflected wide. The visitors looked comfortable and stand-in skipper Distin easily saw off Cole as the West Ham striker tried to muscle his way through from the left - the defender timing his challenge to perfection to earn a goal-kick.

But Noe Pamarot was a little too cool when he tried to chest down a cross by Ilunga in his own six-yard box with three West Ham players lurking and was fortunate none of them had the wit to drill it home.

Ironically, Pamarot was booked two minutes later for a late challenge that sent Behrami crashing down out on the right.

HT West Ham 0 Portsmouth 0

West Ham replaced Sears with Matthew Etherington at half-time but there was more bright play by Pompey, with Defoe prominent.

In the 48th minute he took Traore's pass down the left, lost Lucas Neill and cut in to force a flying save from Green with a right-foot shot.

Two minutes later Defoe seized a long ball out of defence, shrugged off Matthew Upson and narrowly failed to lob Green who stretched to tip the ball away.

Cole produced a cute reverse ball at the other end but Bellamy's shot lacked the power to beat James.

There was real danger though in the 53rd minute when Pamarot gave away a soft free- kick on the edge of the area for a foul on Behrami and Bellamy's set-piece strike clattered against the bar.

It was the closest the home side had come to scoring so far and boss Zola was encouraged to send on Julien Faubert for the more defensive Ilunga and push Bellamy further forward in support of Cole.

Etherington's pace and ability to find width was beginning to stretch Pompey's defence but he could not find a finisher for his crosses.

Bellamy and Cole both produced tame efforts that barely tested James and Pompey were always poised to strike on the break. Defoe wriggled clear from a Traore pass but slipped as he tried to steer an angled effort beyond Green.

FT West Ham 0 Portsmouth 0 West Ham looked for a late winner as Pompey's defenders and midfielders tired but it was striker Crouch who was taken off with Kanu the replacement on 75 minutes.

And with seven minutes left the Nigerian nearly set it up for Defoe who side-stepped Upson but saw Green block his angled shot.

West Ham's late pressure was intense but largely incoherent and Pompey's defence stood firm.
Intro: West Ham kept their first clean sheet in 25 matches but it was little consolation for manager Gianfranco Zola whose team were jeered off against Portsmouth at Upton Park after their seventh consecutive failure to land a win.

Although the Hammers dominated the bulk of the second half and Craig Bellamy hit the crossbar with a terrific free-kick they were lucky to survive some magic moments from their former striker Jermain Defoe who hooked an early half-chance over and forced three fine saves from goalkeeper Robert Green.

Pompey's cause was handicapped when they lost midfield dynamo Lassana Diarra through injury after less than 20 minutes having started without the injured Sol Campbell and Niko Kranjcar, but the result was surely much better received by their new boss Tony Adams who scored his first away win at Sunderland last week.


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