Complete search widget

I am targeting API level 8+ and I would like to have full width search at the top of the action bar, extended by default and not resettable. Here's what I did:

I have an ActionBar where I am setting inside onCreate:

final ActionBar actionBar = getSupportActionBar();
actionBar.setHomeButtonEnabled(true);
actionBar.setDisplayHomeAsUpEnabled(true);
actionBar.setDisplayShowTitleEnabled(false);

      

        
        
        
      

    

then onCreateOptionsMenu:

@Override
public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu) {
    getMenuInflater().inflate(R.menu.search, menu);

    SearchManager searchManager = (SearchManager) getSystemService(Context.SEARCH_SERVICE);
    searchItem = menu.findItem(R.id.action_search);

    SearchView searchView = (SearchView) MenuItemCompat
            .getActionView(searchItem);
    searchView.setSearchableInfo(searchManager
            .getSearchableInfo(getComponentName()));
    searchView.setIconifiedByDefault(false);
    MenuItemCompat.expandActionView(searchItem);

    return true;
}

      

        
        
        
      

    

Here's my search.xml inside the menu folder:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<menu xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:myapp="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto" >

    <item
        android:id="@+id/action_search"
        android:icon="@drawable/search"
        android:title="@string/search_product"
        myapp:actionViewClass="android.support.v7.widget.SearchView"
        myapp:showAsAction="always">
    </item>

</menu>

      

        
        
        
      

    

and my searchable.xml:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<searchable xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:hint="@string/search_product"
    android:label="@string/searchable"
    android:voiceSearchMode="showVoiceSearchButton|launchRecognizer" >

</searchable>

      

        
        
        
      

    

This leaves extra space between the Back button and the Search widget. Can you help me with this?

PS Why is the search icon not inside the widget? If I set setIconifiedByDefault to true and then click on the icon, the image stays inside the text space ...