Saturday’s game began with the home fans eagerly anticipating new striking sensation Diafra Sakho notching his seventh league goal in a row but ended with forgotten man Andy Carroll nearly stealing the win in injury time.

West Ham battered away all afternoon against a resilient Aston Villa side, which threatened on occasion to take all three points away from Upton Park.

The home side controlled this entertaining game for long periods of the first half, with Alex Song dominating the midfield, breaking up Villa moves and setting up attacks.

The pace of Gabriel Agbonlahor was a constant threat for the visitors, getting the better of home defender James Collins early on but firing over.

West Ham’s best effort of the half came when Sakho lay the ball back for Stewart Downing to fire a fierce shot which had Brad Guzan at full stretch.

Home keeper Adrian pulled off a similar save at the other end, after Charles N’Zogbia cut in laying the ball on for in-form striker Andreas Weimann to strike sweetly.

The second half saw West Ham get on top, with Downing pulling the strings in midfield but somehow the clinical finishing of recent weeks seem to desert them. 

Sakho proved the worst offender, twice getting free but planting the headers wide.

The final act of the game saw West Ham throw on Carroll in injury time. 

This was time enough though for Carroll to rise twice and get in powerful point blank headers, which Guzan somehow managed to parry.

West Ham manager Sam Allardyce was understandably disappointed with the result: “When our finishing was very very good, their goalkeeper was better.

“Aston Villa are a frustrating team to break down but we broke them down several times apart from the keeper.”