Shakhtar Donetsk 0-0 Development Squad
Absolute Sports Travel Cup
The Development Squad opened the Absolute Sports Travel Cup at Cambridge United with a 0-0 draw against Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk on Saturday.
West Ham created the better chances on a sultry afternoon at the R Costings Abbey Stadium, but were unable to find a route to goal.
Kieran Sadlier came closest of all with a thunderous shot which cannoned off the crossbar, while Shakhtar's best opportunity fell to sub Artem Gabelock, who was denied by Danny Boness from the edge of the box.
The Hammers had the first opportunity of the game as Seb Lletget knocked the ball past his man before passing into Elliot Lee, who moved onto his right foot before shooting into keeper Yevgen Grytsenko's hands.
Shakhtar responded with an early chance of their own when they won a corner down the left and Rotislav Rusin was able to control at the far post before firing in a shot which teammate Nikita Bezugliy deflected wide.
With seven minutes on the clock Blair Turgott profited from a loose Shakhtar pass to pick up possession in midfield and drive towards goal, but his right-footed effort from 20 yards flew straight into Grytsenko's grasp.
After Lee sent another sbot down the goalkeeper's throat, Tim Brown was tested for the first time when Valery Hryshyn's curling effort needed to be pushed off its goalward track,
West Ham continued to probe and they were so unlucky not to open the scoring on 36 minutes when Sadlier fired a dipping shot from 25 yards which had Grytsenko beaten all ends up, but came crashing down off the crossbar and away to safety.
The Hammers started the second period on the front foot too, and were a foot or so away from taking the lead nine minutes after the restart when Turgott passed square to Lletget, who controlled with his first touch and shot goalward with his second, with the ball passing just the wrong side of the post.
On the hour, Turgott wriggled out of a couple of challenges down the right and crossed to the far post, but half-time sub Alex Pike's effort was deflected behind for a corner.
With 62 minutes played, a further nine substitutes joined Pike in the Hammers' side as Nick Haycock gave pitch time to nearly every member of his squad.
12 minutes from time, sub keeper Danny Boness was extended by Artem Gabelock's scorcher from the edge of the box, but he was equal to the test.
That prompted Shakhtar's most threatening spell of the game, but the Hammers saw it out as neither team were able to make a breakthrough.
The Hammers take on Espanyol to close their Absolute Sports Travel Cup campaign on Sunday, with kick-off at Cambridge United again at 2pm.
West Ham United: T.Brown (Boness 77); Westley (Knoyle 62), Burke (Harney 62), Oxford (Onariase 62), Page (Mavila 62); Bywater (Nasha 62), Cullen (Makasi 62); Turgott (Gordon 62), Lletget (Parfitt-Williams 62), Sadlier (Pike 46 (Amoo 77)); Lee (McCallum 62)