It's off to the World's End, our new Lucky pub, with Mystic Matt to watch this one over a pint or two of Camden Pale. Stranglers fan Matt wonders if the Rodneys will be queuing up at Rodney Parade as we are left just hanging around hoping that something better change in the Cup.
Pellegrini plays a strong side of squad players and for the first 20 minutes the Hammers dominate as Fornals hits the post from the edge of the box. The big minus is Antonio pulling up with what looks like a bad hamstring tear.
Then comes a very worrying spell as Newport create several chances and after Diop is muscled off the ball and a cross finds the unmarked Amond who shoots straight at Roberto.
Just as Mystic May and Mystic Matt are agreeing that Jack Wilshere will never again be the player who once outplayed the Barcelona midfield, he goes and scores. It's actually a poor ball from Jack in the first place that sets off the move, as after some farcical dithering from a Newport centre back Wilshere nicks the ball off his toes and runs through to finish well.
The second half sees some more scary moments at the back for the Hammers before a good run down the left from Anderson sets up Fornals for a tap-in. There's still time for West Ham to fail to get a third despite a lot of the ball and Newport to hit the post after sub Coventry is caught out.
But it's job done in what could have been a difficult tie. The worrying thing is that none of the fringe players have done well enough to demand a place. Ajeti hasn't done much apart from have a header over the bar, while Sanchez has a very poor game seemingly unable to play a simple pass. The good thing is that first Hammers' goals should give Wilshere and Fornals some confidence. Let's hope for a decent draw in the next round now.
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