West Ham's youth team are through to the fifth round of the FA Cup following a resounding 4-1 win against Blackburn at Upton Park tonight.
Despite going a goal down after 34 minutes the Hammers hit back with second half goals from Moses Ashikodi (52), Tony Stokes (57), Hogan Ephraim (70) and Mark Noble (75) to secure passage into the next round.Noble - a player who has been making impressions on the first team of late - scored the pick of West Ham's goals, curling home a 25-yard free-kick to put the result beyond doubt.
West Ham's plight was made even easier towards the end thanks to the dismissal of Blackburn's Ralph Welsh, who saw red for violent conduct. However the game was well and truly beyond Blackburn by that point.
The reward for Tony Carr's team? A local derby with neighbours Leyton Orient, to be played at Upton Park.
West Ham United: Behcet, Henry (Andrews 80), Cohen, White, Tomkins, Allen (Welsh 80), Noble (Shaw 75), Ephraim, Stokes, Ashikodi, Reid.
Subs not used: Reed, Davidson.
Full fifth round draw
Crewe Alexandra v Colchester United or Cardiff City
Fulham v Derby County
Ipswich Town v Aston Villa or Port Vale
Southampton v Arsenal
Tottenham Hotspur v Everton
West Ham United v Leyton Orient
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Manchester City or Brighton & Hove Albion
Watford v Middlesbrough or Sunderland
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