Cole makes striking claim at West Ham

The big striker didn't score in this absorbing stalemate on the south coast but Sol Campbell and Sylvain Distin will testify to the bruising they got from this man with a mission.

Cole is trying to take the opportunity to seize the target man role in Alan Curbishley's attack in the absence of knee ligament injury victim Ashton and the manager believes he has the talent to be more than a nuisance player.

"When we had him on loan from Chelsea at Charlton, it was a successful loan spell and he should never have left us," said Curbishley. "No disrespect, but we thought we were the right club for him.

"He ended up at Villa and got a bit lost there and so went back to Chelsea and got lost again. He needed to settle down and when I came to the club, he hadn't been playing. It looked as though he was drifting away again.

"I threw him in against Brighton in the League Cup. He scored but was lacking fitness. He was having to get fit in the first team and that was ridiculous. We told him in pre-season he needed to be at peak fitness and he has worked hard."

Cole was forced to put in plenty of hard work at Portsmouth but came very close to winning the game with an impressive shot on the turn that came back off the crossbar only for Nobby Solano to head the rebound wide.

"I'm exhausted," admitted Cole. "We played a new system which meant I had to hold the ball up while the two wide men linked up with me. The manager asked a lot of me but I think I gave the defence a hard time, putting myself about.

"The fans have been on my back but I have never been given an extended run in my career. I have always been under pressure to come in and make an immediate impact. I am trying to establish myself as a proper player."

Both sides had chances to win, with Solano missing another sitter to add to the one he put wide from Cole's shot, but Portsmouth would have gone fourth if Benjani had converted a late penalty when Danny Gabbidon handled under pressure from Niko Kranjcar.

The Croatian is the club's nominated penalty taker but Benjani grabbed the ball and placed his kick too close to Robert Green, who put on another fine display to boost his England credentials.

A Kranjcar winner would have been a fitting end as he was the game's outstanding performer. Manager Harry Redknapp said: "He's got quality and class. The Croatians produce that kind of player with good silky skills."

There is no shortage of skill in this Portsmouth side, who have been bombing on after a difficult run of early fixtures when they drew at home to Manchester United and Liverpool and were unlucky to lose to Chelsea.

Their form has been so impressive that it can only give Curbishley heart that his team have the makings of a top 10 side after this performance.

PORTSMOUTH (4-1-4-1): James 7; Johnson 6, Campbell 7, Distin 6, Hreidarsson 6; Mendes 5; Utaka 6 (Kanu 77min); Diop 6, Muntari 6, Kranjcar 8; Benjani 7. Bookings: Hreidarsson, Diop.

WEST HAM (4-1-4-1): Green 8; Neill 7, Gabbidon 5, Upson 7, McCartney 6; Solano 5 (Spector 78); Noble 6, Mullins 6, Boa Morte 6. Bellamy 6 (Etherington 46, 6); Cole 7 (Ferdinand 89). Bookings: Bellamy, Noble, Solano, Cole.

Man of the match: Robert Green.

Referee: Mike Dean.