Villa's unbeaten start continued and Martin O'Neill's might have secured all three points from an entertaining clash at Upton Park.

Former Hammers trainee Liam Ridgewell gave Villa a fourth minute lead, but that was cancelled out by Bobby Zamora after the break.

In between, Juan Pablo Angel twice rattled the woodwork as Villa continued their recent impressive form.

Overall O'Neill will be happy with his side's efforts and this performance was light years away from the sorry performance at the same venue last season.

Villa made a bright, inventive start and Ridgewell opened the scoring on four, forcing home a replay as Carroll saved Agbonlahor's header from a right-wing corner.

Carroll raced off his line to deny Moore three minutes later as the striker raced onto a measured through ball from Petrov.

Harewood should have levelled for the hosts on eight, but slotted wide as Sorensen misjudged a clearance and sent it straight at the striker. Fortunately Harewood fired wide.

McCann brilliantly denied Harewood with a sliding challenge on 13 as the West Ham striker shaped up to shoot from the edge of the box.

Angel rattled the bar with a powerful header on 15 as he rose to meet a floated right-wing corner from Barry.

Villa continued to look dangerous and Carroll parried an angled drive from Agbonlahor on 22, moments after Reo Coker had scrambled away from the edge of the six-yard box.

Moore tested Carroll with a looping header from Barry's left-wing cross on 25. The keeper saved low to his right.

Moore dragged a right-foot shot wide on 35 after intricate approach play from Angel and Petrov.

Angel clipped the top of the bar with a powerful header two minutes later as he met Barry's cross from the left.

Reo Coker stormed forward on 39, but prodded a right-foot shot wide of the upright.

Hareweood fired wide on 46 as he raced onto Reo Coker's through ball.

Laursen brilliantly denied Bowyer on the goal-line five minutes later, but within seconds the hosts were level as Zamora flicked a Konchesky header past Sorensen.

Mears acrobatically denied Petrov on 54 as the debutant Petrov as the Villa man lofted the ball over Carroll's head.

Carroll did well to deny Barry on 56 and the follow-up from Agbonlahor was somehow scrambled off the line.

Konchesky's left-wing cross flashed across the face of goal on 79 as both sides searched for a winner.

Benayoun blocked Barry's drive from the edge of the box a minute later. Baros then almost connected with a Petrov free-kick on 82, seconds after replacing Angel.

Agbonlahor linked-up well with Davis on the edge of the box on 84, but dragged a low shot wide.

Benayoun blazed over in stoppage-time.

West Ham: Carroll, Mears, Konchesky, Gabbidon, Ferdinand, Harewood, Benayoun, Mullins (booked 45), Reo-Coker, Zamora, Bowyer. Subs: Green, Etherington (for Bowyer 73), Cole (for Zamora 83), Maschareno, Tevez (for Harewood 61).

VILLA: Sorensen, Mellberg, Laursen, Barry (booked 26), McCann (booked 55), Angel, Petrov, Davis, Agbonlahor, Ridgewell, Moore. Subs: Taylor, Baros (for Angel 81), Whittingham, Berger, Gardner.