Road to Wembley - Albion bummed

West Ham, the team we followed to last years final will once again be N&R FL's team this season after they put pay to a brave Brighton side in the 3rd Round on Saturday.

After an even first half in pouring rain a nervous Hammers took the lead on 49 minutes. A looping cross from Boa Morte on the left was headed back up into the penalty area. Tevez simply nodded the ball back down into the path of MARK NOBLE, who dispatched a cool finish into the bottom right corner for his first West Ham goal.

Brighton almost equalised when Revell had timed a run perfectly - but made a complete hash of an attempted diving header and missed the ball with the goal at his mercy following a deep cross.

Brighton had to go for it now, and enjoyed a spell of good possession as 5,000 Seagulls packed into the Centenary Stand got behind them. However, they looked vulnerable on the counter-attack, and so it proved as West Ham doubled their lead after 58 minutes.

Tevez broke down the right, and his low centre went across goal, where Boa Morte picked it up.
The new signing chipped the ball back into the six-yard box, where CARLTON COLE was on hand to volley in - with the visitors appealing in vain for offside.

Brighton struggled to rouse a late rally and, with virtually the last touch of the game, HAYDEN MULLINS rose unmarked in injury time to head home Shaun Newton's cross to seal the hosts' victory and leave the visitors still searching for a first third-round win in 14 years.

Brighton Team: Henderson, O'Cearuill, Lynch, Butters, Mayo, Fraser (Hart 51), El-Abd, Hammond, Frutos (Rents 67), Revell (Gatting 84), Robinson.
Subs Not Used: Kuipers, Carpenter.
Att: 32,874