Magnificent display by Hammers keeper

Southampton 0 West Ham 0

A magnificent display by Man of the Match Jussi Jasakelainen enabled West Ham United to register their second successive away-day goalless draw and climb back into the top half of the table. After an even first half, Southampton dominated large chunks of the second period but the Hammers’ veteran Finnish keeper was on top form, making three top-class saves. The Hammers almost grabbed an unlikely victory near the end when James Collins was presented with a golden opportunity but unfortunately the Welshman showed a lack of composure and fired over the bar.

Kicking off in eleventh-spot, Sam Allardyce made just one change from the side beaten at home by Stoke City, with Ravel Morrison coming for the injured Stewart Downing. Southampton boss Mauricio Pochettino made two changes with full-backs Nathaniel Clyne and Luke Shaw replacing Calum Chambers and the injured Danny Fox

The Hammers started brightly and almost opened the scoring as early as the 7th minute. Mohamed Diame, cleverly turned his marker and forced Artur Borac to make a decent save at the near post. Southampton quickly responded and Jaaskelainen was forced to make an even better save to deny Dani Osvaldo from point-blank range.

Diame was the first name in referee’s Andre Marriner’s book, just before the half-hour mark, for a foul on Adam Lallana. Soon afterwards Kevin Nolan

found the net with a 30-yard shot but unfortunately Matt Jarvis had already been flagged offside. West Ham finished the opening half brightly with Morrison and Modibo Maiga both seeing their shots go wide.

The Saints stepped up the pressure after the break and Victor Wayama forced Jaaskelainen to tip the ball over the bar. England striker Rickie Lambert got his head to the resulting corner but, fortunately for the Hammers, the ball cannoned off the bar and was scrambled to safely. The home side took full control of the second half and the West Ham goal led a charmed life. It took superb saves from Jaaskelainen to thwart both Morgan Schneiderlin and Lambert, while Winston Reid got his head in the way of an acrobatic effort from Osvaldo.

West Ham almost stole all the points in the 84th minute when the ball fell kindly to Collins, following a rare corner, but the Welsh centre-back fired over the bar, with the goal pretty much at his mercy. Mark Noble and Joy O’Brien joined Diame in the book for second half fouls, while Guy Demel and Winston Reid both collected knocks. This, their fifth point of the season, moved the Hammers up into tenth spot in the table.

Southampton: Boruc; Clyne, Fonte, Lovren, Shaw (Chambers 77); Rodriguez, Schneiderlin,Wayama; Rodriguez, Lallana (capt) (Ward-Prowse 72); Osvaldo, Lambert. Unused subs: K Davis, Hooiveld, S Davis, Ramirez, Guly.

Booked: Wayama (66).

West Ham: Jaaskelainen; Demel (Rat 62), Collins, Reid, O’Brien; Noble, Morrison (Taylor 78); Diame, Nolan (capt); Jarvis; Maiga (Vaz Te 68). Unused subs: Adrian, Tomkins, Taylor, Collison, Lee.

Booked: Diame (29), Noble (64), O’Brien (70).

Referee: Andre Marriner (West Midlands)

Attendance: 28,794