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Portsmouth frustrated West Ham to claim a hard earned 0-0 draw at Upton Park, although Kanu could have stolen all three points in the final minute.

With West Ham looking to add to a solitary point from their last six games and Portsmouth hoping to deliver back-to-back victories for new boss Tony Adams, the game started at a ferocious pace but for all the effort on display there was a distinct lack of quality.

The first real glimmer of quality came from a former West Ham player, Glen Johnson. Picking the ball up in the right back position, he jinked past Herita Ilunga and played a through ball around Matthew Upson to Jermain Defoe; but with Robert Green closing in another ex-Hammer Defoe, to a chorus of boos, snatched at the effort and could only lift it over Green and wide.

Soon after, Portsmouth lost arguably their most influential force, Lassana Diarra, to a late challenge from Scott Parker. Far from having a detrimental effect, Portsmouth reacted well - Defoe following up after Johnson had stung the palms of Rob Green.

Although West Ham will justifiably have claimed to have played the better football of the first half, their final ball was lacking. And with Freddie Sears and Craig Bellamy seemingly operating as forward thinking wingers rather than strikers they lacked a real goal threat, bar the odd half chance.

Bellamy had a tame bicycle kick chested back to James by Johnson, while Jack Collison, after exchanging passes with Sears, flashed a shot wide. But bar that, West Ham had little to show for a half of neat football.

Defoe will have done his England chances no harm with a bright performance that deserved a goal, he came closest moments before the end of the first half. Retrieving the ball after a corner, he skipped past Behrami before sending a low drilled effort goal-ward. It had Green beaten but an unorthodox block from Ilunga ushered the ball wide for a corner.

Portsmouth started the second half far the brighter and Defoe almost had his team in the lead twice. First, he skipped past Neill and thrashed over the bar and then almost lofted the ball over the outstretched arm of Green.

West Ham retaliated with a quick break, Cole rolled in Bellamy but his tame effort was easily saved by David James. James could do nothing about Bellamy's next effort - a whipped free-kick that cannoned off the cross-bar.

West Ham were really going for it and playing some scintillating stuff - first Bellamy and then Parker slicing wide after fantastic build up play.

James almost contrived to hand victory to the Hammers with two late dropped catches, but it was West Ham fans who were nervously looking at their watches - especially after last week's late capitulation at Everton.

And Portsmouth almost won it in the final minute, but Kanu was unable to add the finishing touch to Belhadj's late centre.

Marcus Foley / Eurosport