Djamal Abdoun's penalty, a second half Jamie Paterson hat-trick and an Andy Reid strike saw Championship promotion contenders Nottingham Forest slaughter a youthful West Ham team in the FA Cup third round. Reds boss Billy Davies made two changes from the draw at Reading on New Year's Day. Nathaniel Chalobah was ineligible to play and Jamie Mackie dropped to the bench as Abdoun and Guy Moussi returned to the XI. Hammers manager Sam Allardyce named a team with just two survivors from the defeat at Fulham last time out. Alou Diarra and Modibo Maiga kept their places whilst five academy graduates started. Adrian was in goal with Stewart Downing and Matt Jarvis operating as wingbacks. Ravel Morrison played despite a niggling groin problem. Forest were gifted an early lead when George Moncur tripped Paterson in the box on 11 minutes after some fancy footwork. Referee Martin Atkinson pointed to the spot and Abdoun audaciously chipped his penalty down the middle. Morrison brought a fine save out of Karl Darlow in the home goal with a quarter of the game gone from a fine free kick. Callum Driver's last ditch challenge on Greg Halford then denied the Reds a chance to extend their lead at the other end. Halford later worked Adrian with a close range header after a fine move from the hosts. Erica Lichaj brought another save from West Ham's Spanish stopper five minutes before half time when Forest captain Reid slipped him. Henri Lansbury then ballooned over the bar. Big Sam's Hammers looked disjointed with so many youngsters, but when he made second half changes they were more of the same. Further fruits of the Academy of Football got blooded here with bigger fish to fry in the Capital One Cup semi-final coming up in midweek. Darlow kept out a deflected Sebastian Lletget effort and then Morrison tested the Reds number one again from a tight angle. Lansbury meanwhile spurned two more chances for the home side, but they doubled their lead at last with 25 minutes left. Fine holdup play from Halford against inexperienced West Ham defenders teed up Paterson to score his first goal for Forest. Five minutes later, Lansbury slipped the former Walsall winger in again and he had a second via a deflection. Davies's Reds were good value for a 3-0 lead, but then Hammers sub Blair Turgott almost pulled one back. His looping effort looked destined for the top corner only for Darlow to tip behind at full stretch. Adrian parried a Simon Cox header from Abdoun's centre when the Republic of Ireland forward came on for Forest. Winger Paterson then completed his hat-trick 12 minutes from time after beating two defenders to cap a memorable individual performance. Reds skipper Reid, who set Paterson on his way for his third, then rounded off the scoring in stoppage time. Abdoun ran at the West Ham kids and squared for the captain to fire into top corner. The gloom goes on for Allardyce. West Ham sent boys out to do the jobs of men here. This drubbing only hammers home how much they need reinforcements in both defence and attack. Davies meanwhile keep his Forest's momentum going.
Jamie Clark is a qualified Web Journalist after undergoing professional training at the University of Sheffield. A prolific and accredited sports writer, he also enjoys classic comedy, historic fiction, 80s music and heritage.
