West Ham kept their first clean sheet in 25 matches following a goalless draw with Portsmouth at Upton Park.

Pompey, who had to start without the injured Sol Campbell and Niko Kranjcar, lost influential midfielder Lassana Diarra to injury during the first half following a challenge by Scott Parker.

And the visitors escaped a massive early let-off when Freddie Sears' cross clearly struck Sylvain Distin on the arm in the penalty area, only for the well-placed referee Martin Atkinson to wave play on.

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

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

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

In the 48th minute he 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.

Craig Bellamy's free-kick hit the bar and Portsmouth goalkeeper David 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 and substitute Kanu almost set up Defoe in the late stages of the game but the Hammers held on.