Hammers cruise past Pools

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The official awarded a penalty for handball by Pools defender Michael Nelson in injury time at the end of the first half, although replays confirmed the offence had taken place well outside the box.

Mark Noble converted from the spot to add to Valon Behrami's 44th-minute opener after Scott Parker had cleared Michael Mackay's ninth-minute header off the line, while Hammers goalkeeper Robert Green had to make a fine one-handed save from Gary Liddle after the break.

For 44 minutes, director of sport Chris Turner will have been delighted with what he saw as they took the game to the Hammers and on more than one occasion threatened to take the lead.

Indeed, had skipper Scott Parker not been as alert in his role on the line, Michael Mackay's header from a Matty Robson corner might have crept inside the post.

The Hammers struggled to create anything of note, and their frustration was summed up six minutes before the break when Cole lunged in at goalkeeper Arran Lee-Barrett to spark a melee which resulted in yellow cards for him and full-back Herita Ilunga.

However, his side finally made their mark as time ran down and took the lead with 44 minutes gone after putting together a fluent move. Behrami started the attack and eventually turned up on the end of it to fire home a left-foot shot after Jack Collison had made space for him inside the box.

But if that was hard luck on the League One side, their fortunes were to take a further turn for the worse in injury time. There was little doubt that Nelson handled Cole's flick-on, but despite the offence clearly taking place a yard outside the box, referee Mason pointed to the spot.

Noble needed no second invitation to blast the penalty past Lee-Barrett and rub salt into the wound.

Cole should really have put the tie beyond doubt with 16 minutes remaining when he tried to slide his shot past Lee-Barrett, but the goalkeeper got a touch to deflect it on to the post. The home side battled valiantly to the whistle but could not release the Hammers' stranglehold.