West Ham United 0 - 0 Leeds United

	Joe Cole of West Ham United challenges David Batty of Leeds United (ShaunBotterill/Allsport)

There is only so much even the most devoted of admirers can take and Ferdinand is desperately close to that point at Upton Park.

The England defender, who new Hammers boss Glenn Roeder reckoned was always going to be a bargain buy, scored on his first return at the tail end of last season.

Yesterday he stopped what would have been a Paolo Di Canio winner 13 minutes from the whistle.

That was a hammer blow but the big winner here was the searing heat which drained what energy Leeds had retained after their physically, and mentally, demanding victory against Arsenal at High-bury last Tuesday.

And even West Ham, who were spared their midweek clash with Chelsea because their redeveloped stadium was not quite ready, wilted as the temperature soared and you wondered why anybody could possibly argue in favour of summer football.

It stifled fine talents like Leeds' Mark Viduka, Harry Kewell and Robbie Keane. And eventually even 'an engine' as powerful as Lee Bowyer's stuttered and ran out of juice.

Both teams justifiably took credit for a result they were happy to share. For Leeds it was continued construction of the base from which they can launch a bid for honours, even a tilt at the one manager David O'Leary covets most, the Premier-ship.

For West Ham, superbly organised by Roeder, it made a nonsense of their pre-season billing as a team who might struggle to survive. With this planning and the addition of a couple of new signings, most particularly a goal-scorer, they will be difficult to beat on their own patch and a credit to their young boss.

They produced most of the chances and were unlucky not to take the lead through that Di Canio effort which was scooped away a foot from the line by Ferdinand. Against that, though, Leeds would have been in front if their Aussie striker Viduka had not fluffed an early first-half free header.

O'Leary looked happy enough at the point which gave his team seven points from their three opening matches.

At least there were no red cards to add to those Bowyer and Danny Mills received at Highbury.

O'Leary said: 'They made us work so hard. My players are very, very tired. It was a big effort for them on Tuesday and with this game we didn't need the heat.

'We could have scored, we know that, but what happened to Viduka happens to forwards and I know he'll make up for that. It took so much out of us and we are a "pas-sionî team. People say we're a bit too passionate.

'We know we can play better than we did today but I know it's the accumulation of points which is important especially when you can do it when you're not quite at your peak.

'We looked solid in defence but we have a lot more to offer as an attacking force.

'We could have been stronger on the bench but we were without Alan Smith and Eirik Bakke.'

Roeder was entitled to feel considerable satisfaction from this result against a team which has developed into one of England's finest despite yesterday's failings.

He said: 'I hope this augurs well. We produced this result when we have still to strengthen the squad. I thought we'd scored through Paolo and we created a number of chances overall.

'It would have been better if we'd managed to win but you still have to take a degree of satisfaction from this.'

The one major casualty of the afternoon was Leeds defender Ian Harte who was injured and replaced by Jonathan Woodgate in the 81st minute.

Harte has had nine stitches in a wound in his ankle and will miss the Republic of Ireland's vital World Cup qualifier against Holland on Saturday.