New Year. New Decade. New West Ham? The previous two seasons have seen the Premier League side dumped out of the FA Cup by League One opposition but not Sunday night as they scraped by Gillingham to reach the fourth round.
Substitute right back Pablo Zabaleta was the unlikely hero for the Hammers – notching his first-ever goal in the competition to see David Moyes’ second era in charge move to two wins out of two. Fellow replacement Pablo Fornals confirmed the win with an injury-time strike.
It was a gritty win for West Ham who were turgid in the first half - but far better in the second - to get past a spirited Gillingham side who looked to provide another third-round giant-killing after shocking Cardiff City, then in the top-flight, last season.
However, it wasn’t to be for the Kent side in front of packed out MEMS Priestfield Stadium as Zabaleta squirmed an effort past Gills goalkeeper Jack Bonham that should have been stopped on 74 minutes before Fornals added gloss to the scoreline.
Such was the clamour for this game, it wasn’t only a sell-out among fans but it was the same case for those in the press box with the overspill leading to some sitting in a room overlooking the pitch.
Before the match there was a minute’s applause for the recently passed celebrity chef Gary Rhodes who was a close friend to Gillingham owner Paul Scally.
And Scally had a few connections with West Ham too – most notably with West Ham co-chairman David Gold, who was his best man at his third wedding.
The two managers too are long-time friends with Gills’ boss Steve Evans and West Ham counterpart Moyes having coming through the academy ranks as boys at Celtic.
However, there was no room for sentiment here with a place in the fourth round on the line.
The hosts were forced into making one change from their New Year’s Day draw with League One rivals Portsmouth. Watford loanee Alex Jakubiak came in up front for Mikael Mandron - whose partner had given birth earlier that day.
As you would expect, the hosts came out of the traps firing. Early pressure saw Hammers captain Angelo Ogbonna forced into heading behind for a corner. Soon later Gills left back Connor Ogilvie tested West Ham goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski with a left-foot volley.
The Poland international was the busier of the two goalkeepers and was called into action to save an attempt from Tom O’Connor after a corner was blocked.
Such was the paucity of West Ham’s attack that the half-time whistle couldn’t come soon enough for them. They mustered just one shot in 45 minutes and that wasn’t on target. In contrast Gillingham had five with three on target to highlight their attacking intent.
West Ham’s only notable contribution was the enforced substitution of right back Ryan Fredericks due to injury. Chasing down a Gillingham counter-attack he pulled his right hamstring and had to be replaced by veteran Zabaleta.
There are 41 places separating the two teams but you wouldn’t have known that on the first-half showing. Gillingham supporters taunted the away fans by chanting ‘Can we play you every week!?’ such was their glee at opponents’ display. The Rainham End in particular was raucous.
Moyes had clearly laid into his side at half-time and they should have taken the lead 30 seconds after the restart. Felipe Anderson lofted a delicate through ball over the Gillingham defence for Sebastian Haller – who timed his run brilliantly just past the halfway line. The striker bared down on Gillingham goalkeeper but inexplicably blasted high over the crossbar.
Three minutes later the forward came close to breaking the deadlock. A long ball down the right-hand channel wasn’t dealt with by the Gillingham defence which Haller seized upon. However, his first-time effort hit the inside of Bonham’s near post and back into play.
West Ham’s Premier League quality was beginning to show as they looked dominating whenever they went forward. Anderson especially was starting to exploit the tired Gills defenders.
The visitors were unlucky to not be awarded a penalty when Declan Rice’s shirt was pulled back in the box by Tom O’Connor after a Robert Snodgrass free-kick. Referee Andrew Madley and his assistants missed it and there was no VAR to review the decision.
But minutes later jeers turned into cheers from the vocal away support. Anderson played a sublime one-two with left-wing back Arthur Masuaku. The ball eventually was crossed low into the box to the onrushing Zabaleta. His first-time strike went through Bonham, who was partially unsighted by Ogilivie, and into the net.
Gillingham had one last chance to equalise in injury-time but it led to them going 2-0 behind. Defending a corner, West Ham broke at will with Haller playing in Anderson. The Brazilian cut back to Fornals who lashed home a first-time strike in at the near post.
A potential banana skin here was sidestepped as West Ham march on to the fourth round.