Grant defiant but Irons held

DEFIANT West Ham manager Avram Grant maintained his struggling side had again shown enough to secure victory, despite having to once more settle for only a point against West Brom.

The Irons remain rooted the foot of the table as they continue to search for a first league win since September 25.

Peter Odemwingie had put the Baggies in front from the penalty spot on 28 minutes, but West Ham fought back level before the break when Scott Parker smashed in a 25-yard effort.

Indeed, Frederic Piquionne sent the Irons ahead from the spot at the start of the second half and then missed a great chance to make it 3-1 before Pablo Ibanez headed in an equaliser to earn the visitors a share of the spoils.

Grant, however, continues to remain positive, despite his side’s predicament.

“The reaction after they scored was good to get to 2-1 and then we had a great chance to make it 3-1 and dominated the game,” Grant said. “I thought we were going to win and it is disappointing.

“We want to take points not because anybody else wants them, but because we want them. We keep our style of football, it is not going like we want, but we are playing well and that frustrates us more than anything.”

WEST HAM: Green, Ilunga, Gabbidon, Upson, Jacobsen, Boa Morte (Kovac 54), Parker, Dyer, Barrera (McCarthy 88), Cole (Obinna 76), Piquionne.

WEST BROM: Carson, Cech, Pablo, Tamas, Reid, Scharner, Brunt, Thomas (Barnes 75), Dorrans (Cox 67), Morrison, Odemwingie (Fortune 88).

Referee: M Dean.