West Ham demolished gallant Aldershot at Upton Park on Tuesday night.

FA YOUTH CUP THIRD ROUND

West Ham 5 Aldershot 0

WEST HAM’S Academy boys eased into the fourth round of the FA Youth Cup with an impressive cruise past League Two outfit Aldershot Town at Upton Park.

The Hammers reached the last 16 of the competition last season and they showed their intention of having another long run in the competition this time round by sweeping aside their game, but outclassed opponents.

West Ham grabbed the lead on 22 minutes with a strike that harked back to the 1990s.

The Hammers won a free kick on the left edge of the box and George Moncur - son of former Hammers star John - curled the ball into the top corner with an accuracy that his father rarely showed from dead-ball situations.

It was Aldershot who had started the game the brighter with some neat passing, but West Ham’s class slowly began to tell and Blair Turgott almost got on the end of Dylan Tombides cross, before Moncur had given them the lead.

The lively Callum Driver stormed forward from left back to cut inside and drag a shot wide, before Moncur went close again with a powerful drive that Aldershot keeper Jordan Clement tipped over the bar.

On 35 minutes it was 2-0. Again Driver sprinted forward and this time his low centre was spilled by Clement into the path of Tombides. His effort may have just trickled over the line, but there was no doubt when Aldershot skipper Doub Bergqvist’s attempted clearance hit the inside of the post and flew into the net.

Worse was to follow for Aldershot and Bergqvist just two minutes after the break. This time the skipper’s attempted clearance thumped into the shins of American striker Sebastian Lletget and past the keeper intom the corner for 3-0.

West Ham keeper Deniz Mehmet saved well with his feet from substitute Mo Davies, but most of the half consisted of the Hammers carving out chances, but failing to put them away.

Moncur and Lletget both put in lively winger Turgott, but his first shot was blocked before he set up Robert Hall for an effort that was deflected wide.

England under-18 international Hall, playing in a deeper role, had a better chance on 65 minutes when he controlled superbly on his chest, before turning and shooting just over the bar.

With the game won, West Ham rang the changes by making three substitutions, but they still had time to add more goals.

Aussie Tombides cut in from the left and curled a superb shot from 22 yards into the far corner.

It was a goal good enough to grace a bigger crowd and two minutes later they made it 5-0.

This time Hall got to the by-line before squaring for substitute Danny Purdy to finish with aplomb.

Hall hit the post and Turgott went close again, while at the other end Mehmet made two decent saves in rapid succession.

It was a bonus for West Ham to keep a clean sheet. They will face tougher opposition in the future, but this was a satisfactory start to their FA Youth Cup campaign.

West Ham: Mehmet, Modelski, Driver (Potts), Craig, Sanchez, Wearen, Hall, Moncur (Purdy), Tombides, Lletget, Turgott.