SAID AND Benrahma soon to strike DONE as Irons are hot
SAID BENRAHMA is still chasing a first West Ham goal – but he is starting to look like the real deal.
Goals from Pablo Fornals, Andriy Yarmolenko, an own goal from Andy Butler and a fourth for debutant Oladapo Afolayan swept aside League One Doncaster.
But Benrahma, who arrived on loan after scoring 17 times for Brentford last season, played a big part as his side earned a glamour fifth-round FA Cup trip to Manchester United or Liverpool.
The Algerian wing wizard provided a superb assist for Yarmolenko’s goal and offered other glimpses of his talent.
This stroll further reinforced that most things in the West Ham garden are looking rosy. Throw a top-class striker into the mix – something David Moyes is targeting this month after Sebastien Haller’s exit to Ajax – and they could do some real damage.
There was even a fairytale moment at the end for sub Afolayan, who grabbed a goal after finally making his Hammers debut following a youth career which took him to Harrow, Toronto, Chelsea, Barnet and Tooting and Mitcham.
And as a pro he also did stints at Loughborough University, Solihull Moors, Oldham and Mansfield.
Irons assistant boss Alan Irvine said: “It is fantastic to be through, get four goals and a clean sheet and see young lads get debuts and one of them score.
“Said Benrahma took his chance today, along with others – he played very well.
“The sooner he gets that first goal the better and he might have had it today with a couple of free-kicks.
“He is desperate for that goal, but he has given us some assists and it will come. If we bring in a striker, it has to be the right person, so it is good to see Yarmo can play in that position if we need him there.
“It is good at the moment for us, but it has taken a lot of hard work to get there.”
Darren Moore’s Rovers came into the tie fourth in League One and Moyes handed them the respect of a line-up packed with Premier League experience.
But it took the Hammers just 90 seconds to strike.
Yarmolenko found the overlapping Ryan Fredericks and his cross was smashed into the net and past Ellery Balcombe by Fornals from 10 yards.
Rovers fielded a patched-up team hit hard by injuries and cup-tied players – and it showed.
Manuel Lanzini and then Yarmolenko could have doubled the Hammers’ lead in the first 10 minutes.
Mark Noble, looking for silverware in what could be his last season, was howling for a free-kick after a powerful run
but referee Robert Jones waved away his appeals.
But Moyes’ side got a deserved second goal in the 32nd minute.
Benrahma pounced on a poor clearance from Butler and the Algerian produced a sumptuous pass to send Yarmolenko clear and the Ukrainian dinked the ball over Balcombe.
Yarmolenko then won a free-kick on the edge of the area after half-time and you sensed the whole West Ham team was rooting for Benrahma to get his first goal for the Hammers.
But the winger’s set-piece was well saved by Balcombe, who then denied Fornals and flew across goal twice to save from Tomas Soucek soon after.
Rovers star Butler’s afternoon then went from bad to worse.
Almost on the goalline, the qualified locksmith shanked Noble’s corner into his own net. Matt Smith came close for Doncaster in the 61st minute, seeing his fierce shot come off the top of the bar, and Cameron John brought a smart save from Lukasz Fabianski. But late on Afolayan slammed in the rebound after Balcombe had saved from Fredericks.
Moore said: “We gave ourselves a mountain to climb with that goal after the first couple of minutes, and it will have shown our players the quality you see from teams at this level.
“There is speed and effectiveness and closing down from players at West Ham’s level. So just loads to learn for me and the players. It as a massive lesson, and we have to shake it off quickly.”
WEST HAM: Fabianski 6 (Trott 83rd); Fredericks 7 (Baptiste
83rd), Balbuena 6, Diop 6, Johnson 7; Noble 7, Soucek
6 (Afolayan (70th) 7); Fornals 8, Lanzini 6, Benrahma 7; Yarmolenko 7
DONCASTER: Balcombe 8; Wright 5 (Amos 79th), Anderson
6, Butler 4, John 5; Halliday 5, Smith 6 (Richards (63rd) 6), James 5; Taylor 6 (Williams (70th) 6), Okenabirhie 6, Lokilo 6 (Simoes (63rd) 6)
Pablo Fornals
R Jones