Party time: Harry Chapman lights the FA Cup fuse for Sheffield United after birthday celebrations are put on hold

The Middlesbrough loanee’s maiden appearance in the FA Cup will be one that he will not forget in a hurry.

How grateful he will be to England Under-20s bosses for acceding to the Blades’ wishes for him to link up with the squad a day late – and manager Chris Wilder will be thankful too.

The teenager embarked on a 14-hour flight to South Korea today ahead of Continental Cup duty against Nigeria and Iran. his first career hat-trick having no doubt made up for a distinct lack of celebrations to mark his birthday on Saturday.

On providing some belated fireworks, Chapman said: “It was my birthday on Saturday and I didn’t really celebrate.

“I went home to see my family, but did not really get up to much with having the game, and hopefully I can celebrate when I get back from South Korea.

“It is my first career hat-trick, so I am absolutely delighted. But getting through to the next round is the most important thing.

“It is a bit disappointing to miss the Chesterfield league game. But the team will be here when I get back, so I will have to impress again.”

Along with Chapman, it was also a red-letter day for Wilder and certainly a lot more palatable than his previous FA Cup appearance in the dug-out at Bramall Lane.

That came in 2011 when his Oxford United side were no match for his boyhood club in a 3-0 first-round reverse – and another one-sided cruise arrived for the hosts almost five years on.

The history books will recall that just 6,099 fans descended upon Bramall Lane to see the Blades comfortably progress, but those who attended were rewarded with the hosts turning on the style.

All this without the need to utilize the talismanic presence of top-scorer Billy Sharp, able to cool his heels on the bench and enjoy the choice fare on offer along with his fellow Unitedites.

Chapman’s treble augmented a trio of well-crafted first-half goals from Chris Basham, Stefan Scougall and Kieron Freeman with the Blades’ record of not losing in the opening round of the competition since 1981 remaining intact.

The division between in-form hosts and a side plumbing the depths in 23rd place proved cavernous and the day simply could not have gone any better for Wilder in his first FA Cup tie in charge of the Blades.

After hinting at adventure early on, Orient’s fire soon went out with the hosts taking full control and moving through the gears, effortlessly at times.

It yielded three well-taken goals in an opening half in which the Blades exuded confidence and afforded themselves a field day.

It left the chastened visitors, having a desperate time of it this season, somewhat bewildered, with the Blades’ movement and slick interplay far too much for the O’s fitful defence.

Teenage debutant Aaron Ramsdale, in for Simon Moore, had little to do aside from a smart early save to deny Tom Palmer with the action almost exclusively reserved for the other end. Ramsdale’s moment to shine came early on after Palmer gave Jake Wright the slip, with the 18-year-old goalkeeper making a smart block.

His counterpart Alex Cisak was much the busier, but despite making a couple of notable saves, he still picked the ball out of the net on three occasions before the interval.

After denying Mark Duffy with a fantastic low save to his right, Cisak was powerless to prevent Basham opening the Blades’ account from the resulting corner.

John Fleck was the instigator with his inviting cross headed home emphatically by Basham – operating on the right of a three-man defence – on 22 minutes.

A smart save by Cisak stopped Chapman from adding a second, but the respite was temporary with Scougall’s close-range downward volley creeping into the net after Basham helped on Duffy’s free-kick.

United applied gloss with a third moments before the break when the supporting Freeman headed home after neat work by Chapman unhinged the visitors on the left.

The second half was about damage limitation for the O’s, with Cisak called upon to turn away Duffy’s angled shot before tipping over Jack O’Connell’s header – ahead of the fourth arriving on 54 minutes.

Chapman’s lateral run saw him skip past several challenges before his precise low shot nestled in the back of the net in front of a deserted Kop, closed for the afternoon.

Cisak denied Paul Coutts a fifth before Orient’s torment continued when Chapman instinctively turned in Jack O’Connell’s cross.

The visitors’ misery was complete in stoppage-time when Chapman raced clear before deliciously dinking the ball over the advancing Cisak.