In the end, battling Macclesfield could not contend with the finishing of two of England's brightest young hopes.

But West Ham took a long time to force the Third Division minnows into submission as they booked their place in the fourth round of the FA Cup.

The Premiership side had John Moncur sent off towards the end of the tie but two quality strikes from Jermain Defoe and a third from Joe Cole broke the Silkmen's hearts.

West Ham are all too familiar with cup upsets and, as Glenn Roeder contemplated the probable departure of Paolo di Canio to Manchester United, the last thing their manager needed was another banana skin.

In the 41 seasons since English soccer has had two cup competitions, the Hammers have contrived to lose 34 times to teams from lower divisions.

And it was clear that Macclesfield fancied their chances in the biggest game in their history.

West Ham, without di Canio, Frederic Kanoute and Michael Carrick, took far too long to realise they were not going to be given time and space to produce the tricks of their Premiership trade.

Macclesfield courageously went for three strikers with the inclusion of Richard Tracey alongside Lee Glover and Rickie Lambert, while Kevin Keen dictated much of their play against the club he gave 10 years' service to.

The home side's first attack saw West Ham fail to clear a long throw. Lambert had a shot and Glover headed the deflection in off the bar but both Macclesfield men were offside.

Keen and former Sunderland midfielder Chris Byrne had the intelligence to keep play flowing, winning free-kicks and corners to keep the pressure firmly on the uncomfortable Hammers.

West Ham committed the cardinal sin of not shutting down Byrne 35 yards out and the player who scored the goal which won the Silkmen their league status five years ago saw his dipping drive clear the bar by inches in the 10th minute.

It was the signal for sustained pressure. Macclesfield had a gameplan, worked extremely hard and showed skills and technique which worried the Hammers.

Headers from Byrne and Glover showed the frailties of the Premiership side in the air at the back.

West Ham were not matching the Silkmen's effort and it continually cost them.

Tracey appeared unmarked on the left to drive a shot wide and Glover saw another effort charged down.

West Ham were not enjoying this examination one bit. A foul by Trevor Sinclair on Byrne produced a free-kick from Danny Adams which was nodded wide of the far post by Lambert.

Sebastien Schemmel was booked after 28 minutes for a show of petulance when he kicked the ball away from a throw.

Another Macclesfield free-kick on the half hour was lashed in by Lambert, David James fielding it well but the Hammers were not expecting the shot.

West Ham finally tested Steve Wilson after 32 minutes when Defoe set up Moncur for a drive which the goalkeeper plunged to his left to hold at the second attempt.

A minute later Defoe was inches away with a curling 18-yard shot after neat work by Sinclair.

But Macclesfield were relentless and after 35 minutes another Lambert free-kick for a Tomas Repka foul on Glover crashed through the wall and was tipped superbly tipped over by James at full stretch.

But from being pinned back, West Ham broke right on the break to take the lead.

It was hardly deserved, but it was quality finishing. Cole found Schemmel on the right and his angled ball into the near post was screwed back across goal and into the far corner by Defoe.

West Ham started the second period with Defoe having a fine effort superbly saved by Wilson, and the Macclesfield keeper also plunged to his left to pull down a Moncur drive.

But Macclesfield were soon back at West Ham's throats with a swerving run from Byrne which ended with a shot gratefully deflected into James' hands.

For the first time West Ham were keeping the ball, showing good movement as they sought a second goal.

Macclesfield's response was a run from Adams and cross which Glover headed on and Lambert nodded wide.

Macclesfield then replaced Tracey with a wide man in Andy McAvoy to try to test the ageing legs of Nigel Winterburn.

But West Ham now found space against tiring defenders, and Cole was very close to that second with a fierce drive which flashed wide.

Four minutes later Defoe did get that second, a superb curling shot from just outside the box following a Don Hutchison pass.

After 80 minutes referee Jeff Winter had to contend with a mass of angry players after a foul by Moncur on Byrne.

Adams lunged into the fray, Christian Dailly was also involved and both received yellow cards when peace was restored.

But Winter then pulled Moncur aside, theatrically waved the yellow at the midfielder twice and then a red to send him off.

Having not booked Moncur earlier, Winter clearly felt he had seen two bookable offences in the space of a few seconds.

West Ham then replaced Hutchison with Hayden Foxe and grabbed their third goal after 84 minutes when Cole won the ball on the edge of the box before jinking inside and firing into the bottom corner.

Class had finally shown through, but Macclesfield can feel justly proud of their efforts even if they were second best for much of the second half.

Teams

Macclesfield: Wilson, Hitchen, Macauley, Tinson, Adams, Keen, Priest (Ridler 72), Byrne, Lambert, Tracey (McAvoy 65), Glover.

Subs Not Used: Martin, Whittaker, Munroe.

Booked: Adams.

West Ham: James, Schemmel, Dailly, Repka, Winterburn, Sinclair, Cole, Hutchison (Foxe 84), Moncur, Kitson, Defoe. Subs Not Used: Hislop, Todorov, Minto, Courtois.

Sent Off: Moncur (82).

Booked: Schemmel, Dailly, Repka.

Goals: Defoe 45, 72, Cole 85.

Att: 5,706

Ref: J Winter (Stockton-on-Tees).