FA Cup: Five-star Hammers in quarters

West Ham United’s Dimitri Payet (second from right) scores against Blackburn Rovers in their FA Cup fifth round match at Ewood Park in Blackburn on Sunday. West Ham won 5-1. — AFP

Nigeria’s Emmanuel Emenike and France’s Dimitri Payet both scored twice as West Ham came from a goal behind to book their place in the FA Cup quarter-finals with a 5-1 win at second-tier strugglers Blackburn Rovers on Sunday.

Rovers took the lead through Ben Marshall in the 20th minute but it only took visitors West Ham six minutes to draw level courtesy of Victor Moses’s equaliser.

And before half-time West Ham, bidding to reach their first FA Cup final since losing the 2006 showpiece match to Liverpool, were in front through Payet.

Blackburn were reduced to 10 men early in the second half when Chris Taylor was sent off for a second bookable offence.

Emenike secured victory for the Hammers by making it 3-1 in the 64th minute at Ewood Park before scoring his second five minutes from time.

The forward, on loan from Turkish side Fenerbahce, twice almost had a hat-trick on his first West Ham start, a shot coming back off the post before another effort was ruled out for offside in stoppage time.

But in the second minute of added-on time, the influential Payet weaved his way through the Rovers’ defence before shooting home to make it 5-1.

Albion star Brunt pelted with coins by own fans On Saturday, West Bromwich Albion defender Chris Brunt was pelted with coins by his own club’s fans after their surprise FA Cup fifth round defeat at Reading in an incident described as ‘barbaric’ by his manager.

Brunt had gone over to applaud Albion’s travelling fans following their 3-1 loss to the second tier side, but the mood turned sour and he went down clutching his face as coins rained down from angry supporters.

Northern Ireland international Brunt then confronted a group of Albion fans before being led away by captain Darren Fletcher after giving his shirt to a supporter.

The 31-year-old said a coin had been thrown at him and was quick to condemn the fans’ behaviour.

“I was walking towards our supporters at the end, and they thought it was okay to throw a coin at their own players. I’m disgusted,” Brunt told BBC Sport.

Brunt picked up the coin that hit him to back his claims and he added: “I’ve still got the 50-pence coin. I spotted a little girl in the front row and wanted to give her my shirt.”

Albion manager Tony Pulis called on the police to find the guilty party, while also highlighting the growing danger of fans becoming stoked up by social media and then letting their emotions run wild when their team fails.

In Saturday’s other fifth-round ties, Premier League Watford beat Championship side Leeds United 1-0 thanks to Scott Wooton’s 53rd-minute own-goal.

Everton, whose last major trophy came when they won the 1995 FA Cup, went into the quarter-finals after a 2-0 win away to fellow Premier League side Bournemouth.