West Ham 4 Doncaster Rovers 0 - Doncaster cop a Cup education

Unfortunately, it did not transpire. Not by a long way in this comprehensive four-goal loss.

West Ham, under David Moyes, have the look of seriousness and business about them these days and are one of the best sides in the country at the minute.

In years gone by, the Hammers have been guilty of some soft Cup exits and results. Not this time as they sauntered to a fifth straight win of 2021. Cup contenders, quite possibly. Certainly if they get past either Manchester United or Liverpool..

For Rovers, whose overwhelming priority is League One matters, this was a bonus at the end of the day.

Close to the Bobby Moore Academy secondary and primary schools, which bear the name of the legendary England captain, it proved an education against opponents who were a class apart.

West Ham made seven changes, but not at any dilution in terms of their strength. Doncaster couldn’t even fill a bench and named just seven substitutes.

It is why few could be overly critical of the visitors on a day when they were second-best. It was hardly surprising even if the likes of Declan Rice, Jarrod Bowen and Michail Antonio were kept in reserve on the bench on a ‘just-in-case’ basis. In the event, they were not needed. Not being a long way.

Given their lofty league status, the Hammers are well placed to attack the Cup and are not one of those Premier League sides who view it as an unwanted distraction.

With a fluid attack in Andriy Yarmolenko, Said Benrahma, Pablo Fornals and Manuel Lanzini, who were in the mood all game and showcased their talents with aplomb, all firing, West Ham eased through to the last 16.

The game’s outcome was never really in doubt after Fornals put the hosts ahead after just 130 seconds, converting clinically after Yarmolenko and Ryan Fredericks undressed Rovers down their right.

A troubled opener hinted at more goals, with Lanzini putting a great chance wide and Yarmolenko getting a clean connection but seeing his volley flash off target, but Rovers regrouped - even if their propensity to play out from the back created danger for themselves.

It was from such a moment that produced the hosts second just after the half-hour mark when Andy Butler’s careless pass infield was latched onto by Benrahma, who instantly teed up Yarmolenko, who produced a deft finish to lift the ball past the advancing Ellery Balcombe.

Rovers’ only half chance before the break saw Joe Wright’s header held by Lukasz Fabianski, with West Ham’s stranglehold on proceedings continuing on the restart.

There was no let-up for the visitors, with Balcombe keeping out a free-kick from Benrahma and tipping over a volley from Tomas Soucek - seconds before, turning away a header from the same player at the far post.

Soon after, Butler’s afternoon took another turn for the worse when he diverted a corner from Noble past his own keeper - in a failed attempt to hook the ball clear.

A consolation almost arrived for Rovers, when Jon Taylor’s cross ended at the feet of Matt Smith, whose rising shot clipped the crossbar. But most of the action was at the other end as Doncaster sought to limit the damage with the tie gone.

Commendably, Rovers kept going and their energy levels and body language could not be faltered, with Cameron John, of all people, finding himself in the box after a foray forward before seeing his effort blocked by Fabianski.

Soon after, West Ham afforded themselves a bit of sentiment on a rewarding afternoon.

It came when debutant Oladapo Afolayan, on as a replacement for Soucek, netted the rebound after Balcombe turned away a shot from Fredericks.

The look on the face of the 23-year-old said it all. Rovers players were not quite as amused.

Balcombe denied Ben Johnson late on, while Okenabirhie fired over in stoppage time.

West Ham: Fabianski (Trott 82), Fredericks (Baptiste 82), Balbuena, Diop, Johnson; Soucek (Afolayan 70), Noble; Fornals, Lanzini, Benrahma, Yarmolenko. Substitutes unused: Coufal, Dawson, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Rice, Antonio.

Doncaster Rovers: Balcombe; Wright (Amos 79), Anderson, Butler, John; Halliday, James; Taylor (Williams 70), Smith (Richards 63), Lokilo (Simoes 63); Okenabirhie. Substitutes unused: Jones, Ravenhill, Blythe.

Referee: R Jones (Merseyside).