Nottingham Forest 5-0 West Ham Utd

  • by Staff Writer
  • Sunday, 5th January 2014

Sam Allardyce stuck two fingers up to the FA Cup as West Ham United and their 2,977 proud travelling fans were humiliated by Championship side Nottingham Forest.

The manager's decision to effectively throw the game by fielding an inexperienced side, comprised of several Development Squad players with no more than handful of first team appearances between them came back to bite him as his team went down by FIVE goals in what must rank as one of the most abject displays by a West Ham team in living memory.

Although hamstrung by a chronic injury crisis and with a Capital One Cup semi final against Manchester City looming, such was the gulf in class between West Ham and the home side that Forest could have quite easily rattled up double figures as United's hastily-thrown-together defence faced wace after wave of Forest attacks.

In the end, the former European Champions had to settle for just five - one from the penalty spot prior to the break and four more in the second half.

Of Allardyce's starting XI, only Ravel Morrison, Matt Jarvis and Modibo Maiga had more than 20 appearances for the club under their belts, whilst first starts were given to Callum Driver, George Moncur, Danny Whitehead and Seb Lletget. Therefore it was no surprise when the home side took an early lead from the penalty spot after Moncur felled Paterson; Abdoun converting from 12 yards with shades of Paolo Di Canio.

That West Ham was managed to remain just one goal behind for the remainder of the half was a feat in itself, but things started turning ugly once the game recommenced after the interval's formalities. Paterson doubled Forest's lead with a low drive on 65 minutes before doubling his own personal account six minutes later, having been given all the time in the world to pick his spot.

A fourth arrived with 11 minutes left to play when Paterson completed a hat-trick by passing the ball into the net with Adrian helpless - not for the first, or last time in the match. However there was little the 'keeper could do about Forest's fifth and final goal, a well-executed finish from Andy Reid - who has a habit of scoring against West Ham in injury time - that was placed into the Spaniard's top right-hand corner.

Earlier in the week Allardyce received the backing of a majority of West Ham supporters posting in a KUMB.com poll.

However this latest embarrassing episode will no doubt have one or two of his backers thinking again, for there are few better ways than to both exasperate and enrage West Ham's loyal fan base than by expressing utter disdain for the club's proud Cup tradition, as he did today.


Forest 5-0 Hammers: Match Facts

West Ham Utd: Adrian, Driver, Potts, Diarra, Moncur (Fanimo 55), Whitehead, Morrison, Lletget, Downing (Turgott 65), Jarvis, Maiga.

Subs not used: Spiegel, Lee, Maguire, Gordon, Burke.

Booked: Lletget (45).

Shots on/off target: 5/7 (12).

Possession: 39%.

Nottingham Forest: Darlow, Lichaj, Moussi, Lansbury, Reid (c), Halford (Cox 75), Lascelles, Jara, Paterson (Derbyshire 83), Hobbs, Abdoun.

Subs not used: Evtimov, Harding, Mackie, Majewski, Miller.

Goals: Abdoun (12 pen), Paterson (65, 71, 79), Reid (90).

Booked: Derbyshire (87).

Shots on/off target: 11/11 (22).

Possession: 61%.

Referee: Martin Atkinson.

Attendance: 14,397 (2,977 away fans).

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