Aston Villa 0 West Ham 0

Zola also opted to play young striker Frank Nouble as a lone front man and the 18-year-old turned in a barnstorming performance as he caused Villa's backline no end of trouble all afternoon.

Nouble could even have given the visitors an early lead when his powerful run from his own half took him into the Villa box, only for him to blaze his shot over Brad Friedel's bar.

Villa, looking weary after playing the first leg of their Carling Cup semi-final against Blackburn on Thursday, found it hard to break down the resolute Irons and it took them 25 minutes to have their first meaningful effort on goal, when Ashley Young's cross-shot was palmed away by Rob Green.

The England keeper was in action a minute later when he parried Gabriel Agbonlahor's shot on the turn to safety.

Villa were creating all the chances and after the break former Hammer James Collins almost broke the deadlock when he fired a volley just wide.

The home side did get the ball in the net on the hour mark when substitute John Carew bundled the ball home but referee Mike Jones ruled the Norwegian striker was offside.

West Ham almost nicked it at the end when Junior Stanislas drove in a cross that Collins deflected over the bar.

And there was still time for Green to pull off another good save when he denied Agbonlahor right at the death.

Irons boss Gianfranco Zola was pleased with the point.

He said: "The performance of the players was unbelievable. I'm really proud of them.

"We have a young side and players who can improve. It makes me optimistic if we can learn to handle games like this we can stay in the league."

Aston Villa: Friedel, Dunne, Cuellar, Warnock, Collins, Downing, A Young, Milner, Petrov, Agbonlahor (Carew, 57). Unused subs: Guzan, L Young, Beye, Sidwell, Delph, Delfouneso.

Booked: Petrov

West Ham: Green, Faubert, Spector, Tomkins, Upson, Parker (Diamanti, 57), Kovac (Stanislas, 62), Noble, Behrami, Collison, Nouble (Da Costa, 90+4). Unused subs: Kurucz, Daprela, Jiminez, Sears.

Booked: Collison, Kovac, Stanislas

Attendance: 35,646

Referee: Mike Jones