QPR 0-0 West Ham

Charlie Austin missed his second penalty of the season to leave Rs hanging on to their Premier League place by a thread.

The man who has done so much to give his side a chance of staying up, held his head in his hands as keeper Adrian saved on 23 minutes, but it was typical of Rs luck they were denied so cruelly.

In his 100th game for the club, Rob Green was outstanding against his former club, but another ex-Hammer Bobby Zamora missed a great chance to win it after Austin’s miss.

Richard Dunne scrambled the ball into the net after 75 minutes, but ref Mike Jones deemed Steven Caulker had climbed on keeper Adrian.

Replays showed that if anything, the Hammers shot-stopper had pulled the defender out of the way.

West Ham's Adrian clashes with QPR's Charlie Austin and Matt Phillips

Cheikyou Kouyate did a Zamora by finding the second tier when hitting the back of the net was easier deep into the second 45 as he met a cross from Enner Valencia.

After just 30 seconds Sandro took aim on right hand side of the box and brought a decent save out of Adrian at his near post. Given the time he had, the Rs midfielder might have done better.

Reece Burke’s header from a Hammers corner needed a line of Hoops to block and clear the danger.

West Ham's Kevin Nolan in action with QPR's Joey Barton

The penalty was created by an astute pass from Onuoha into Zamora on the six-yard line. Once the striker had untangled his legs to flick up, he caught the hand of James Collins – not a difficult decision for ref Jones.

There was a bit of a delay before Austin could take the kick – but hard as it was, Adrian only had to drop on it quickly to save.

Green did even better five minutes into the second half.

Aaron Cresswell’s terrific free-kick was headed into the top corner, until the Rs keeper flung himself right and somehow got a left hand to deflect the shot over the bar.

On 57 minutes he was out of his box like an Olympic sprinter to clear as Stewart Downing bore down on goal.

QPR's Matt Phillips in action with West Ham's Cheikhou Kouyate

Karl Henry’s simple dink into the box had Hammers at sixes and sevens, so that Burke nearly steered into his own net before Adrian booted away.

Zamora had more space than top-flight strikers can dream of a minute later, but skied a great chance into Row V of the Loft.

Adrian was again West Ham's man of the match when he brought a fantastic near-post stop out of sub Matt Phillips' thunderbolt. With the save he may have denied brave Rangers a place at the top table.

Rs, 4-1-3-2: Green; Onuoha, Caulker, Dunne, Hill (Yun 64); Henry; Phillips, Barton, Sandro; Zamora (Fer 67), Austin, subs not used; McCarthy, Wright-Phillips, Isla, Kranjcar, Taarabt

Ref: Mike Jones

18,036 (away, 1,802)