Defoe destroys Macclesfield

Defoe's double capped an impressive display

Macclesfield 0-3 West Ham
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West Ham eased their way into the fourth round of the FA Cup with an impressive victory over Third Division Macclesfield.

A double by Jermain Defoe and an excellent Joe Cole goal capped impressive performances by the England hopefuls.

Cole produced a fine display in the West Ham midfield, his work-rate matching his guile.

And Defoe, in for the absent Paolo di Canio, will have given England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson food for thought with some top-class finishing.

Trevor Sinclair was equally impressive, proving a constant thorn in Macclesfield's side.

The only blot on an otherwise entertaining afternoon's action was West Ham midfielder John Moncur's sending-off in the dying minutes of the game.

  Key incidents

45 mins: Jermain Defoe finishes a sweeping move to score West Ham's opener

72 mins: Defoe scores a brilliant second

81 mins: West Ham's John Moncur is sent off

84 mins: Joe Cole slots home West Ham's third

Macclesfield started the game promisingly, and even had the ball in the back of the West Ham net after three minutes.

But Richard Tracey had strayed marginally offside to the disappointment of the Moss Rose faithful.

The Silkmen were by no means overawed by their Premiership opponents, and indeed played some excellent football very much in the mould of West Ham.

Rickie Lambert, who posed a threat to the Hammers defence, forced a smart save out of David James.

Macclesfield put on a terrific performance and they were a great advertisement for the Third Division

Hammers boss Glenn Roeder

The young striker was then denied by the woodwork from a powerfully-struck low free-kick.

For West Ham, Sinclair - clearly hoping to catch the eye of England's coach - would have done better to focus on finding the target.

But, with the goal at his mercy - Macclesfield keeper Steve Wilson having strayed out of the area - Sinclair failed to direct his shot into the empty net.

Moncur sees red

Yet when West Ham's goal did arrive, on the stroke of half-time and against the run of play, it bore all the hallmarks of a top-flight finish.

Cole found Sebastian Schemmel on the right, and the defender's accurate pass found Defoe in the Macclesfield area.

The England Under-21 international completed the sweeping move with an equally impressive finish.

In the end we were undone by quality finishing

Macclesfield manager David Moss

After the interval, West Ham took complete control of proceedings as Macclesfield's first-half exertions began to take their toll.

Lambert and Lee Glover both had attempts on the West Ham goal but without really troubling James.

And when Defoe scored his second goal in the 72nd minute, a superb strike from 20 yards out, the game was over as a contest.

West Ham were reduced to 10 men when Moncur was sent off for a second yellow card after a midfield skirmish with nine minutes of the game remaining.

But their numerical disadvantage did not prove a handicap as Cole capitalised on some sloppy defending to coolly slot home West Ham's third.

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Macclesfield: Wilson, Hitchen, Macauley, Tinson, Adams, Keen, Priest (Ridler 72), Byrne, Lambert, Tracey (McAvoy 65), Glover.

Subs not used: Martin, Whittaker, Munroe.

Booked: Adams.

West Ham: James, Schemmel, Dailly, Repka, Winterburn, Sinclair, Cole, Hutchison (Foxe 84), Moncur, Kitson, Defoe.

Subs not used: Hislop, Todorov, Minto, Courtois.

Sent off: Moncur (82).

Booked: Schemmel, Dailly, Repka.

Goals: Defoe 45, 72, Cole 85.

Attendance: 5,706

Referee: J Winter (Stockton-on-Tees).