THE REAL DEAL
Brilliant Benrahma shows quality as Rovers Hammered
SAID BENRAHMA is still chasing a first West Ham goal – but he is starting to look like the real deal for the Hammers.
Goals from Pablo Fornals, Andriy Yarmolenko, an own goal from Andy Butler and a fourth for delighted debutant Oladapo Afolayan easily accounted for 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 tantalising glimpses of his talent.
This stroll further reinforced that most things in the West
Ham garden are looking rosy at the moment. Throw another top-class striker into the mix, something David Moyes is targeting after Sebastien Haller’s exit to Ajax, and they could do some real damage.
And there was a fairytale moment at the end for 23-yearold sub Afolayan, finally making his Hammers debut.
A youth career took him to Harrow, Toronto, Chelsea, Barnet and Tooting & Mitcham.
And as a pro he did stints at Loughborough University, Solihull Moors, Oldham and Mansfield.
Standing in for manager Moyes, assistant 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 and along with the 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 freekicks.
“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 was 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 accorded them the respect of a line-up packed with Premier League experience.
And 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 on the other hand 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.
Moyes’ side then got a deserved second goal after 32 minutes.
Benrahma pounced on a poor clearance from Butler and produced a sumptuous pass to send Yarmolenko clear, and the Ukrainian dinked the ball over Balcombe.
Yarmolenko 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 the stoic Balcombe, who soon after denied Fornals and then flew across goal twice to save from Tomas Soucek.
But the 37-year-old Butler’s afternoon went from bad to worse after 53 minutes.
Almost on the goalline, the qualified locksmith, who nearly joined the police last year, shanked Noble’s corner into his own net.
Matt Smith came close for Doncaster after 61 minutes, 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 (left) said: “We gave ourselves a mountain to climb with that goal after the first couple of minutes, but it will have shown our players the quality you see from teams at this level.
“It was a massive lesson, and we have to shake it off quickly.”