Bassett's battlers are short on craft

Nottingham Forest 0 West Ham United 0 Attendance: 26,463

AFTER TWO Premiership defeats the plea by the Forest manager, Dave Bassett, for hard work (as in "there's no substitute for ... ") was robustly answered by his team. Inspiration, alas, was in considerably shorter supply; ditto West Ham. If, after half-time, they harboured any ambitions beyond a draw, it did not show.

West Ham's nervousness was perhaps understandable after that shock defeat during the week at Northampton. Forest's problem is that they can't find a replacement for the Van Hooijdonk-Campbell combination which swept them back into the Premiership. Jean-Claude Darcheville is certainly quick with the ball at his feet but that was a rarity, while his strike partner, Marlon Harewood, making his first start of the season, took a languid attitude to undreamed of heights. Both were substituted before the end, an indication that Bassett could do with a striker who is talented as well as hard-working.

As for West Ham's feared man up front, Ian Wright seemed to find the worries of captaincy weighed heavily. Halted almost without exception by the off-side whistle whenever he raised a gallop, the ex-Arsenal man became exasperated - and careless. Just before half-time he should have scored, but his dipping shot struck the bar, with Samassi Abou's shot from the rebound being blocked by Steve Chettle, Forest's captain and outstanding performer.

Then, in the closing minutes, a mishit attempt on goal by Eyal Berkovic floated over a Forest defender's head and fell to Wright. The massive Hammers following bellowed for a goal but all Wright did was fall over. At least there was some justice there. Another defeat for Forest would have been unmerited.

Des Lyttle was the first of six bookings in the match, after 20 minutes, and doubly unfortunate that in fouling Marc Keller he also hurt himself and had to be replaced by the Frenchman Mathieu Louis-Jean.

Just before Wright's crossbar effort, Darcheville went tumbling under an Ian Pearce challenge. The fans screamed for a penalty; a corner was given, correctly. The Frenchman provided Forest's best moment at the start of the second half, seizing on a long ball, cutting inside Rio Ferdinand and forcing Shaka Hislop into a full-length save.

Soon afterwards, Steve Stone fell under Keller's heavy tackle and lay still. The crowd were hushed. Nobody needed reminding of the Forest man's unfortunate injury record. But after prolonged treatment he got back up and played his usual part, fully involved and committed.

Forest pressed hard but their raids were generally formless and disappointing as Pearce and Ferdinand joined the earlier bookings of Andrew Impey and Craig Armstrong. Pearce collected his booking for tripping Andy Johnson, and from the free-kick Stone's inswinging effort just shaved the far upright.

Then Harewood, alone in front of goal, contrived to head Darcheville's fine cross well wide. Next the West Ham goalkeeper did well to repel Chettle's vicious free-kick and in the melee to turn in the loose ball Ferdinand was enraged at Darcheville's challenge on Hislop and a goalmouth shoving match ensued, ending in a booking for Harewood.

Dougie Freedman, brought on with Andy Gray in the hope of a late Forest score, had a fine opportunity when, spotting Hislop off his line, he tried a floated shot. The intention was excellent but like so much of this match it was slightly off.