West Brom shadow side prove too good for woeful West Ham as David Moyes hooks three players at half time

West Bromwich Albion’s infamous ‘Boiler Man’ may have lost the half-time mascot race to West Ham United’s ‘Hammerhead’, but one suspects he could have given midfielder Carlos Sanchez a run for his money.

And the mascot race was the only thing West Ham got right, as they were dumped out of the FA Cup by Championship leaders West Brom, who fielded a virtual reserve team and played the final 20 minutes with 10 men.

Sanchez was one of three West Ham players dragged off at the break by manager David Moyes after helping to conspire to allow West Brom to score what proved to be the winner.

It was Sanchez who helped to deflect the ball straight into the path of Conor Townsend, who beat goalkeeper Darren Randolph with a well-struck angled shot.

West Ham had only made four changes for this fourth-round tie, compared to West Brom’s eight, and by the time Moyes sent on Mark Noble, Michail Antonio and Angelo Ogbonna, the hosts were pretty much up to full strength considering the players they have available.

Sanchez had been awful in a first-half in which West Brom, for whom 38-year-old Gareth Barry started, largely dominated.

Kyle Edwards had seen a shot tipped wide before Townsend’s opener, which former West Ham manager Slaven Bilic did not celebrate and the visitors should have added to their single-goal lead.

Filip Krovinovic headed a Townsend cross inches wide and then Charlie Austin failed to hit the target after Dara O’Shea had picked the striker out unmarked.

Declan Rice had been the only player to threaten the West Brom goal with a shot that bounced wide before Moyes made his triple half-time substitution.

But he almost saw his team fall two goals behind just five minutes later, as Austin’s header forced Randolph into a smart save.

Whereas Moyes had sent on his first-teamers in search of an equaliser, Bilic called on a youngster when he made his first change just after the hour mark as 19-year-old Rayhaan Tulloch replaced the experienced Matt Phillips

West Ham twice threatened through their strikers either side of West Brom’s substitution, as Sebastien Haller dragged a shot wide and then Albian Ajeti headed Manuel Lanzini’s ball into the area over the crossbar.

The home side’s changes had helped them get on top on West Ham were given the perfect opportunity to turn the scoreline around, when Bilic’s team were reduced to 10 men for the final 20 minutes.

Central defender Semi Ajayi had been booked in the first half for a foul on Haller and he was shown a second yellow card for taking down Ajeti. Bilic responded by sending on Kyle Bartley.

Noble almost found an equaliser after bursting through the centre and curling a shot inches wide, but it tokk until the 85th minute for West Ham to manage an effort on target as Issa Diop’s header was comfortably gathered by goalkeeper Jonathan Bond.

Rice then twice tested Bond shots from outside the penalty area, before Noble blazed over the best chance of the game in stoppage time from eight yards out and with the entire goal to aim at.

West Brom managed to hold on to progress and the home supporters who had stayed long enough could barely even be bothered to boo.

Match details

West Ham (4-2-2-2): Randolph 6; Zabaleta 5, Diop 5, Balbuena 5 (Ogbonna, 46, 6), Cresswell 5; Sanchez 4 (Noble, 46, 6), Rice 6; Lanzini 5, Fornals 5 (Antonio, 46, 5); Haller 4, Ajeti 4.
Subs not used: Martin, Cardoso, Kemp, Ngakia.
Booked: Diop.
West Brom (4-2-3-1): Bond 7; O’Shea 7, Ajayi 6, Hegazi 7, Townsend 8; Barry 7, Brunt 7; Phillips 7 (Tulloch, 62, 6), Krovinovic 7 (Bartley, 74, 7), Edwards 7; Austin 7 (Zohore, 70, 7).
Subs not used: Al-Habsi, Livermore, Harper, Willock.
Booked: Ajayi (x2), Barry.
Referee: Stuart Attwell (Warwickshire)
Attendance: 58,911