Wasteful Tottenham held by West Ham

Tottenham Hotspur endured a frustrating time in front of goal on Saturday as West Ham United held the Champions League quarter-finalists 0-0 in an entertaining Premier League game at White Hart Lane.

The point did little to help either side's cause as Spurs stayed fifth in the table and West Ham crept one point clear of the relegation zone.

Tottenham dominated possession but could not turn chances into goals against an improving West Ham whose recent good run has lifted their confidence.

The home side's best opening came five minutes before the break when winger Aaron Lennon cracked a low, right-footed shot against the far post.

Jermain Defoe should have done much better with the rebound but fluffed it from six metres, having earlier gone close to notching against his former club when he turned a Gareth Bale cross just wide.

Bale, making his first start in two months following a back injury, had the chance to snatch the points with just over five minutes to go but his free kick was superbly saved by Robert Green who tipped it away with his left hand at full stretch.

Defoe had another close-range opportunity in the dying minutes but a well-timed challenge by Wayne Bridge, the lynchpin of the West Ham defence, denied him.

West Ham were dangerous on the break with Carlton Cole charging through to meet a clever pass from Demba Ba to go one on one with the keeper but his weak shot was easily saved by Heurelho Gomes midway through the first half.

Ba forced an excellent save from Gomes early in the second period while Mark Noble attempted a spectacular overhead kick which went just wide before missing the target again having done the hard work of getting past two Spurs defenders.