The dichotomy at the heart of our national sport was neatly demonstrated by this absorbing if scrappy encounter, which illustrated why the Premier League remains the envy of the world while the England team are an international laughing stock.

All the crucial selling points of passion, commitment and controversy were present in spades, but beneath the blood and thunder there was much tactical confusion and precious little quality. If Brian Barwick, the FA chief executive in charge of finding the next England manager, had tuned in from Durban, where the World Cup draw was taking place, he would have been left with plenty to ponder.

Jermain Defoe missed a chance to make himself even more unpopular at his old club when Robert Green saved his injury-time penalty, but a first away win under Juande Ramos would have been fortuitous for Tottenham Hotspur. Both teams deserved only a point from a game in which the goals sprang from defensive mistakes, such as the misplaced clearance from Younes Kaboul that enabled Carlton Cole to open the scoring in the twentieth minute.

“It would have been harsh if we’d been done in the last minute there,” Alan Curbishley, the West Ham United manager, said. “We’ve just dropped two points against Bolton in the 93rd minute, but where that felt like a defeat this felt like a win.”

Ramos was less pleased and was critical of Mike Riley, the referee. The Spaniard thought his team should have been awarded an earlier penalty when Robbie Keane was played through on goal by Kaboul in the 41st minute, with Green appearing to catch the Ireland striker with his trailing leg.

“I’m totally frustrated, of course,” Ramos said. “This was the key moment of the game because it would have meant we played with a numerical advantage and we would have a penalty to be on level terms.”

Curbishley saw matters differently. “Once he flicked it over Greeny, there was a bit of contact, but I think Keaney realised that was a bit of contact once he saw that the ball was going wide,” he said.

Other than the penalty appeals this was a tale of two goalkeepers, with Paul Robinson withstanding the predictable booing to begin the process of restoring a reputation that has been blemished by his England errors. This was one of Robinson’s better days, with two smart saves at his near post from Scott Parker and Dean Ashton keeping the visiting team level as West Ham pushed for a late winner.

Green eclipsed him in the final seconds with his third penalty save of the season after Lucas Neill had pushed Defoe, although it was his error that had enabled Tottenham to equalise.

He rushed from his line to try to punch clear Jermaine Jenas’s 67th-minute free kick but got nowhere near it, with Michael Dawson heading into an empty net.

Although it was a soft goal to concede, Ramos deserved to preserve his five-match unbeaten run after making a bold switch to 3-4-3 in the 54th minute, a move that confused Curbishley. “I don’t know exactly what they did, but that got them back into the game,” he said. With such tactical acumen, it is just as well Curbishley is not being touted as the saviour of English football.