West Ham 0 West Brom 0

WEST Ham were left to rue the injuries which have plagued them in recent weeks as their shallow squad was badly exposed in a toothless performance against Premier League basement boys West Brom.

Devoid of the creativity of the likes of Valon Behrami and Jack Collison through injury, and lacking the physical threat of the suspended Carlton Cole, the Hammers failed to create any clear cut chances in a dour match at Upton Park.

It was West Brom who began the brighter of the two sides, with Marc-Antoine Fortune firing into the side netting.

The visitors then had shouts for a penalty waved away after Paul Robinson went down under a challenge from Lucas Neill following a corner. The Hammers' captain appeared to have a grip on a chunk of the defender's shirt, but Mark Halsey was not convinced.

James Morrison was at the heart of everything good about West Brom, and he almost fashioned the opening goal. Driving at the West Ham defence he twice feigned to shoot before attempting to slide the ball underneath the advancing Robert Green, only for the keeper to block his shot.

In what is becoming a weekly event, the Irons lost another key player as Matthew Upson was stretchered off with what appeared to be a calf injury.

Jonathan Spector came on his place, with Neill switching to partner James Tomkins in the centre.

As the half wore on the hosts began to get a foothold in the game, and after Savio spread the ball cleverly for Mark Noble on the edge of the box, he squared for Freddie Sears, but the striker's shot was tame and Albion were able to clear.

Sears' cross then looped narrowly over the bar, while Scott Parker saw his shot skied into the stand.

David Di Michele showed sporadic glimpses of flamboyance but he enjoyed little in the way of support. He should have done better when put through by a clever flick from Sears however, but he ballooned his shot high into the Bobby Moore stand.

West Brom should have scored soon after the interval, when Shelton Martis connected with Chris Brunt's cross, but he saw his header cannon off the bar. During the same move, Green was taken out by Jonas Olsson's stray elbow, but he was back to his feet after several minutes of treatment.

Savio then found himself in a similar position to that which saw him create Collison's goal against Manchester City two weeks ago, but the only people that will have felt threatened by his effort were those in the upper reaches of the Bobby Moore stand.

Mark Noble and Savio were then replaced by youngster Junior Stanislas and Luis Boa Morte in an attempt to freshen things up, but they merely served to confuse matters going forward.