Barclays Premier League
Queens Park Rangers 0-0 West Ham United
Adrian's first-half penalty save from Charlie Austin saw West Ham United battle their way to a goalless Barclays Premier League draw at Queens Park Rangers on Saturday.
After James Collins had been adjudged to have handled from Bobby Zamora, the Spaniard sprung to his right to repel Austin's spot-kick and preserve the Hammers' clean sheet.
Robert Green tipped a fabulous Aaron Cresswell free-kick onto the bar in the second half, while Richard Dunne had a scrappy effort chalked off for a Steven Caulker foul on Adrian. The Hoops finished the stronger, but could find no way past an inspired Adrian in the West Ham goal.
Sam Allardyce had earlier handed 18-year-old Academy graduate Reece Burke a first Premier League start, with Winston Reid sidelined with a hamstring problem. Elsewhere, Alex Song and Carlton Cole made way for Kevin Nolan and Matt Jarvis.
There had been plenty of talk this week about the importance of a fast start and yet there was a scare for the visitors within 60 seconds. Mark Noble was dispossessed on the edge of the Hoops box and, on the counter, Sandro forced Adrian into a sharp stop at his near post.
At the other end, West Ham were racking up the corner count. From the second of five first-half corners, debutant Burke saw a header cleared off the line.
From a frenetic start it all went rather quiet, in the two goalmouths at least. Midway through the half, however, Rangers and, more specifically Austin, fluffed their lines from the spot.
Nedum Onuoha had surged down the right and clipped into the feet of Bobby Zamora. The former Hammers man controlled and flicked it up, with a James Collins arm inadvertently getting in the way. Referee Mike Jones had no hesitation whatever.
Over to Adrian, who flung himself to his right to stop a third league penalty in succession and duly lapped up the adulation from the Hammers fans behind the goal.
There were half chances at either end as the half ticked down. Matt Phillips’ drive ricocheted off Zamora and skipped wide, while Nolan found himself a yard or two on the edge of box, but rather scuffed an effort into the arms of Green.
With five minutes of the second half gone, Rangers had a combination of Green and the crossbar to thank for keeping it goalless. After Valencia had been unceremoniously upended by Sandro, Cresswell took charge of the set piece. He whipped it towards the top left-hand corner and there was the England stopper, at full stretch, to tip it one handed onto the woodwork and over.
But the Hoops continued to pose a threat of their own. Sandro slashed over the top from the edge of the D, while Zamora bullied Burke out of it, but, under pressure from Collins, cleared the crossbar as well.
Big Sam brought Cole on for Jarvis and the striker was immediately into the action. The No24 flicked into the path of Noble, who in turn set Downing away, but Green was quicker to it and swept up.
The hosts, meanwhile, had the ball in the net from a corner after 74 mintues, but not fairly thought referee Jones. Caulker was penalised for a foul on Adrian and so though Dunne gleefully bundled it home, it mattered not.
As the game entered its final minutes, West Ham created arguably their best opening of the 90. Valencia skipped past Dunne and squared for Kouyate, but the No8 was off balance and ballooned over the bar from eight yards.
Adrian came to the Hammers' rescue in the dying minutes too, palming Phillips' rasping drive wide of his left-hand upright as the visitors clung on for a hard-earned point away from home.
Queens Park Rangers: Green, Onuoha, Dunne, Caulker, Hill (Yun 63), Barton (c), Henry, Sandro, Phillips, Austin, Zamora (Fer 67)
Subs: McCarthy, Isla, Kranjcar, Taarabt, Wright-Phillips
Booked: Austin
West Ham United: Adrian, Jenkinson, Collins, Burke, Cresswell, Noble, Kouyate, Nolan (c), Downing, Jarvis (Cole 55), Valencia
Subs: Jaaskelainen, O'Brien, Oxford, Poyet, Amalfitano, Nene
Referee: Mike Jones