Avram Grant may have departed this parish if Barnsley had run over his team as Newcastle United did on Wednesday evening. But no repeat of that 5-0 hammering ever appeared likely, and West Ham United are safely in tomorrow's draw for the fourth round.Of his senior personnel, Grant started Robert Green and stood down Scott Parker and Matthew Upson, who watched from the bench, and Danny Gabbidon, Tal Ben-Haim and Carlton Cole, all of whom were not in the match-day squad. Grant's paucity of resources was illustrated by Luis Boa Morte making what was surely his professional bow as a left-back, a position for which the club currently has not one specialist. Grant lacks decent cover in most positions and the opening goal derived from Jonathan Spector, a player who has become a nomad under a manager often bemused by the 24-year-old's inability to follow instructions.There were no complaints, though, regarding his 29th-minute contribution. The American had scored twice in West Ham's 4-0 rout of Manchester United in the Carling Cup earlier this season from the same midfield berth he began the afternoon, and when Mark Noble swooped through Barnsley's midfield before unloading to him the finish was clinical.West Ham walked off at half-time to an offering of rare applause that will have heartened Grant. What he and the Upton Park faithful had just witnessed were opponents who threatened only sporadically, while their side might have scored two or three more.Zavon Hines should have beaten Luke Steele from close range from a Pablo Barrera cross. Earlier, Victor Obinna wanted a penalty when Steele levelled him in the area. The Nigerian also sprayed a left-foot volley wide. And, from a raft of chances Frank Nouble twice forced Steele into crucial saves.Barnsley's best opening had been created by Goran Lovre. But when he skipped beyond the home rearguard the Serb aimed the shot straight at Green.West Ham coasted into the break and were coasting to the whistle when Adam Hammill hit the bar. If that had gone in, Grant may have spent the remainder of the weekend sweating.Instead, play continued and Frédéric Piquionne moved upfield and then finished convincingly beyond Steele.FA CupWest Ham UnitedBarnsleyJamie Jacksonguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
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