NEW WEST Ham owners David Gold and David Sullivan bore witness to their first game in charge against Portsmouth at Fratton Park in midweek, and they would have been largely impressed by what they saw.

There were chances aplenty for the Hammers, with Frank Nouble doing his best up front to try and convince his manager, Gianfranco Zola, and the owners that the need for new attacking blood is not as great as they originally thought.

He made an impact once again and was a handful for the Pompey defence, although he was guilty of two missed opportunities when put clean through on goal either side of half-time.

They were chances that may have been snaffled by Blackburn’s South African hitman Benni McCarthy who, before going to press, looked odds-on to become the club’s first acquisition under the Gold and Sullivan regime. Monaco’s Eidur Gudjohnsen was another striker who was being heavily linked with the Hammers, as the owners desperately scrambled to inject some firepower into the team before the transfer window slams shut on February 1.

To avoid defeat against bottom club Portsmouth was imperative for Zola and his troops. But one point could easily have been three, as Matthew Upson’s fortuitous opener shortly after the break was cancelled out by a clinical finish from substitute Danny Webber, although there was a hint of a foul on defender James Tomkins in the build-up.

Zola was disappointed with the result, the Italian admitting that he expected his side to put the game to bed, long before the hosts had the chance to rescue something from the match.

“It’s starting to get better but I didn’t take it very well, to be honest, because I thought we had control of the game and I couldn’t see them scoring,” he said afterwards. “We were defending very well and creating chances going forward. Actually, I was expecting us to score another goal at any time.

“Nothing takes away from the fact we played a good game and we’re getting better and better.”

In praising his players’ attitude, he insisted that anyone joining the squad in the coming days would have to apply themselves in a similar way if they are to succeed. “Maybe we could have more quality in the future and it will benefit everybody, but whoever comes in must have the same attitude these boys have because that is the key to our success,” he added.

Perhaps the most encouraging sight of Tuesday night was the return of top scorer Carlton Cole, who made his first appearance for the Hammers since injuring his knee back in November in a 20-minute cameo against Pompey.

A vital trio of games await West Ham, with Blackburn Rovers the visitors to Upton Park on Saturday, followed by matches against fellow strugglers Burnley and high-flying Birmingham City.

Cole will be crucial in that period, which could go a long way to determining the club’s fate this season.

“It’s very good to see him (Cole),” said Zola. “I think it was important to give him a few minutes, but I must say it was difficult to take off Frank Nouble, because he played well again and I was delighted with his performance.”