Dimitri Payet and Emmanuel Emenike scored two goals apiece as West Ham United booked their place in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup at the expense of Blackburn Rovers this afternoon.
The Hammers went on to score five goals in total at Ewood Park, where both sides ended the tie with 10 men.
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Despite the one-sided nature of the scoreline, it was actually the Championship hosts that broke the deadlock in Lancashire with 20 minutes played. Ben Marshall's low shot from 20 yards out looked to be lacking in power, but it still crept inside Darren Randolph's near post.
However, the lead lasted for just six minutes as an error from Blackburn goalkeeper Jason Steele saw Victor Moses's effort squirm into the net.
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From that moment onwards it was Slaven Bilic's West Ham that dominated proceedings and they went on to make that the most of it nine minutes before the break when Payet, who recently signed a new contract with the East Londoners, bent a free kick from distance out of Steele's reach.
The situation then deteriorated even further for Blackburn in the 55th minute when midfielder Chris Taylor was handed his marching orders for a second bookable offence - this time for tripping up Moses.
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West Ham went on to make their numerical advantage count nine minutes later when Emenike turned in his first goal for the club following his January move from the Middle East.
That put the tie out of Blackburn's reach and although they had Cheikhou Kouyate dismissed for a professional foul, West Ham added further gloss to the scoreline in the closing stages as Emenike and Payet completed their braces.
Liam Apicella
