And after being held at bay by Walsall keeper James Walker wasteful West Ham trudged off to a chorus of boos.
Unbeaten in their previous eight league starts West Ham made just one enforced change as Adam Nowland replaced the suspended Matthew Etherington. But right from the opening exchanges they knew they were not going to get it all their own way.
Indeed, although Bobby Zamora's early effort was ruled out by an offside flag, Walsall came closest to opening the scoring midway through the first half. Chris Taylor saw his long-range effort pushed away by the relieved Stephen Bywater who was equally grateful to see Gary Birch nod the resultant corner across the face of goal.
And on the half hour, only Tomas Repka's steely block tackle prevented Pedro Matias from putting Walsall ahead, before the Spaniard spurned another chance to give his side an interval lead by volleying wide at the far post.
Nowland was replaced by the lively Jobi McAnuff for the restart but it was fellow substitute Andy Melville who came closest to opening the scoring when James Walker saved his point-blank 48th minute header.
After their anonymous first-half display they were now looking to impose themselves as Marlon Harewood and Christian Dailly sent efforts narrowly over.
Still plucky Walsall threatened though, as Jorge Leitao met the overlapping Zigor Aranalde's inch-perfect cross with a glancing header that thudded onto the far post.
On the hour, David Connolly's skidding 25 yarder was tipped around the post by Walker, who was equally agile when sprinting out to foil the flying Harewood.
And although West Ham mounted a predictable furious late assault the Walsall keeper was in no mood to surrender a well-deserved point and his side's first clean sheet of 2004.