Soccer / pellegrini

Report West Ham demolished Macclesfield Town FC 8-0 yesterday, to record their biggest win since 1983. Manuel Pellegrini’s men put Mark Yates’ team to the sword to progress to round 4 of the Carabao cup. You will have to go back to 1983 to witness a bigger win for the Hammers in its history, beating Bury 10-0 in the same competition. Pellegrini decided to rest key members of the first team and bring in Adrian, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Sanchez and Snodgrass to the fold and the decision threatened to derail the team’s progress early on. The eight overall changes to the side that held their own against Chelsea meant that the hammers took a while to get going. Things got off to a bad start when Carlos Sanchez got injured and fans favourite Declan Rice had to replace him in the 10th minute. In the 17th minute, Macclesfield nearly drew the first blood when Harry Smith headed a set-piece towards goal but West Ham had second choice goalkeeper, Adrian to thank, who clawed away the ball. The Hammers first chance also emanated from a set piece but Danny Whittaker cleared the resulting shot off the line. The reprieve didn’t last as Rice produced an accurate cross to find Michail Antonio who had been left unmarked in the six-yard area to head home in the 29th minute. Three minutes later, academy graduate, Grady Diangana fizzed in an angled shot that Macclesfield goalkeeper, O’ Hara could not hold on to, allowing Snodgrass to score his first West Ham goal since joining the Hammers in the winter transfer window of 2017. The ex-hull player didn’t end the night being the only one to do a Hammers first. Aaron Cresswell found Lucas Perez with a cross and he finished with a beautiful volley to open his scoring account for the club five minutes before the break to all but secure their progression to the fourth round of the competition. The second half began and the onslaught from the Hammers didn’t abate when Fredericks added a fourth with a thumping right-foot drive in the 51 st minute and Angelo Ogbonna added more gloss to the scoreline, converting a Robert Snodgrass corner three minutes later. This time the players and fans could really celebrate with the outcome now set in stone. Fredericks turned assist provider for Snodgrass to net his second of the night and West Ham’s sixth, but the loudest ovation was reserved for Diangana who joined West Ham as a 10-year old. He added an emphatic feel to the scoreline, scoring two goals to cap an impressive debut. After the game, the West Ham manager had only nice words for the 20-year old Diangana – “I was pleased for him because the only thing I demand from young players when they have the opportunity is to take the opportunity. He did very well, not only for the two goals” Match Details West Ham United (4-2-3-1): Adrian 6, Fredericks 7, Diop 6, Ogbonna 7, Cresswell 7, Obiang 6 (Coventry, 46’, 5), Sanchez 5 (Rice, 10’, 8), Diangana 9, Snodgrass 8, Antonio 6 (Powell, 62’), Lucas 7 Unused Subs: Fabianski, Balbuena, Yarmolenko, Masuaku Macclesfield Town (4-2-3-1): O’Hara 4, Pearson 4, Kelleher 5, Grimes 5, Fitzpatrick 4, Maycock 5, Lowe 5 (Melch-Hayes, 68, 5), Napa 5 (Blissett 58’, 5), Whitaker 6, Marsh 5, Smith 5(Arthur 58’, 4) Unused Subs: Simpson, Hodgkiss, Wilson, Vicenti