Thomas Hitzlsperger's memorable debut featured a goal and an assist and offered hope that if he stays fit West Ham may finally match their form in cup outings to the league, where they still languish in the bottom three.The priority in these parts is, of course, Premier League survival so any win, whether in the Cup or not, can only inject a welcome dose of confidence. Carlton Cole added to the relief with two goals and Winston Reid and Freddie Sears also joined in the fun.Before Liverpool roll up at the weekend Avram Grant had hoped his touch in the knock-out competitions, which has already taken him to the finals of the FA Cup, League Cup and Champions League, would sweep his side past Eddie Howe's men into a quarter-final at Stoke City.Howe is the latest bright young thing to rise in the lower leagues. After turning down Crystal Palace in January and being hailed a hero for his loyalty by Bournemouth fans, the 33-year-old decided his work lifting the south-coast club into League One gave him the right to leave for Lancashire.Hitzlsperger had also made a move before this season commenced, arriving from Lazio on a free transfer before an encouraging start to his West Ham career was stymied by a serious calf injury suffered captaining Germany in August.Seven months later and the midfielder's competitive bow for the club was only 23 minutes old when he claimed his first goal. Collecting the ball in the middle third of Burnley's half, the 28-year-old moved forward and belted a 25-yard shot that wobbled on the way towards Lee Grant. It was enough to fool the keeper and sweetly bulge the net.The roar this produced from an under-capacity Upton Park matched the one given the German when he had been introduced ahead of kick-off and suggested the home support sense his class could be crucial if their team are to cheat the drop.A side including Hitzlsperger, Robert Green, Wayne Bridge, Scott Parker, Cole, plus the pace and muscle of the promising Demba Ba, ought not to have entered the break only one goal to the good.Yet they could not convert any more of their numerous chances. These included an early Cole run down the right that ended with him delivering a ball into Hitzlsperger that he could not control.For Burnley, hesitation from Winston Reid had allowed Jay Rodriguez to force a point-blank save from Green, who moments later saved from Ross Wallace, after the winger switched to his left foot for an effort from the right that was skidding inside the goalkeeper's right post.West Ham required only five minutes of the second half to ease concerns. Twin strikes from Cole allowed Grant to relax, but left Howe shaking his head in fury at how his team allowed two identical sucker-punches.Mark Noble lifted a long ball over the top of the Burnley defence that found Cole. The striker appeared to have missed his chance when he lost control and gave Grant the opportunity to snuff out the danger. But, when the keeper could not collect, Cole nipped in.Within seconds Noble and Cole had repeated the trick. A right-to-left diagonal pass from the midfielder was taken down neatly by the centre-forward and this time he blazed the ball beyond Grant.Suddenly, and to the delight of fans whose nerves have been fraying all the season, Upton Park was raining goals. On 59 minutes Reid, the right-back, joined Hitzlspersger with a debut goal. This time the German's left foot swung in a corner from the right and the New Zealander rose before any Burnley defender to finish well with his head.Burnley's consolation was a touch farcical thanks to a mix-up from Bridge and Green who between them should have hoofed the ball to safety. Instead the ball rebounded off Tyrone Mears to allow Rodriguez to finish.At the close, after Reid had cleared a header off his line, West Ham moved rapidly upfield and Sears finished confidently.West Ham UnitedBurnleyFA CupJamie Jacksonguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
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