Pre-match hype had promised continental flair and fairytales but these two
London rivals couldn't produce a goal to settle this Premiership battle.
Joe Kinnear's Dons, perhaps jaded from their marathon against Tottenham, never
clicked into top gear and West Ham's new signings failed to inspire an away win.
Harry Redknapp will have been delighted to keep a clean sheet, though, after
conceding eight goals in his team's two previous league outings.
John Hartson was made skipper for the day against his old team-mates. But he
was kept quiet and goalmouth action was in short supply at Selhurst Park.
Redknapp handed a full debut to Cameroon international Marc-Vivien Foe but the
£4million signing from French champions Lens often seemed bewildered by the
furious pace of this London derby.
The big midfielder worked hard for the Hammers but made little impact, firing
a sharp chance high over the bar in the first-half and donating a couple of wild
long-range strikes to the afternoon's entertainment.
West Ham's other midweek signing Paolo Di Canio trotted on in his white boots
for the last 18 minutes but was unable to mark his return from Premiership exile
with a goal. Joe Kinnear, meanwhile, made Hartson captain against the club who
sold him a fortnight ago.
Hartson toiled away for his new club with the travelling fans from east London
rejoicing in his every error. The £7.5million Welsh international, who scored
for the Hammers when the two clubs met earlier in the season, rarely looked like
repeating the feat.
Instead, the best of the early chances came the way of West Ham's homegrown
hope Joe Cole. The youngster was for once away from the limelight as Hartson,
Foe and Di Canio dominated pre-match discussions. And, though the youngster was
later replaced by the £2million Italian, he set-off in energetic mood alongside
Paul Kitson in attack.
The pair caused problems for Dons defenders Chris Perry and Ben Thatcher,
switched into a central defensive role in the absence of Dean Blackwell.
In the opening exchanges, Cole danced inside from the right-wing but his
left-foot shot sailed high and wide. He was closer moments later with a driving
run and shot from midfield. Then, midway through the first-half, he wasted a
golden chance. He slipped away from Thatcher to pounce on a Kitson flick and
head towards goal.
The young star tried to curl it round keeper Neil Sullivan with his right foot
but the Scottish international dived low to scoop the ball away with a big left
hand. His defence did the rest.
Cole threatened again minutes before half-time. Again Kitson won the battle in
the air and Cole collected the knock-down but dragged his shot across the face
of goal.
Wimbledon offered little going forward in the first-half. Hartson had a
back-post header saved and Efan Ekoku should have done better after his
strike-partner found him with a neat header from long Sullivan kick. Ekoku went
close again after the break. He met an Alan Kimble cross with a flying near-post
header but it flashed the wrong side of the post for the big Nigerian
international.
Kimble himself sent West Ham hearts aflutter late in the game with a low drive
from long range. But the Dons spent most of their time on the back foot as the
Hammers pressed forward. Perry recovered with pace and precision after Cole had
threaded a perfect pass through for Kitson. And Sullivan made no mistake with a
Neil Ruddock free-kick.
Shaka Hislop produced a vital save from a Jason Euell thunderbolt in a frantic
finale. A Ruddock mistake allowed Euell a clear run on goal. The midfielder's
attempted chip slipped through Hislop's fingers but he was able to gratefully
grab the loose ball.
Teams:
Wimbledon: Sullivan, Cunningham, Kimble, Perry, Thatcher,
C. Hughes, Earle, Ekoku (Leaburn 69), M. Hughes (Kennedy 81),
Euell, Hartson.
Subs Not Used: Heald, Jupp, Cort.
Booked: Hartson.
West Ham: Hislop, Breacker, Dicks, Ruddock, Kitson, Foe,
Ferdinand, Moncur, Lampard, Minto, Cole (Di Canio 72).
Subs Not Used: Potts, Lazaridis, Forrest, Hodges.
Booked: Moncur, Minto.
Att: 23,035
Ref: P Durkin (Portland).
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