Baggies endure West Ham stalemate

West Bromwich Albion were left four points adrift at the bottom of the Premier League after an uninspiring goalless draw away to West Ham at Upton Park here on Monday.

The visitors had the best chances of the match. Shelton Martis hit the bar while ex-Manchester United midfielder Jonathan Greening shot over the top from six yards out and James Morrison saw his effort saved by West Ham goalkeeper Robert Green.

West Ham, who remained seventh in the table, rarely threatened to score against Tony Mowbray’s basement club in a low-grade contest that seemingly did little for the Baggies’ hopes of top-flight survival.

“I think I probably should have put my chance away and got us all three points,” Greening told Setanta Sports.

“We knew it was going to be a difficult game, Gianfranco Zola has got them playing well, but I thought we did all right tonight.

“We’ve been working hard all season. It’s difficult coming up from the Championship but the boys have worked hard and we’ll give it a good go until the end of the season.”

Mowbray said that there had been no difference in their level of performance from recent matches.

“I don’t think it was an improved performance – the defence was better but the performance was what we get most weeks.

“We missed some chances and it’s a very disappointed changing room there. But it’s something to build on.”

There was a worrying moment for the already injury-hit Hammers when centre-back Matthew Upson went off in the first-half with a leg problem.

But the good news for manager Gianfranco Zola was that Upson was later seen walking freely after being carried off on a stretcher.