Frederic Kanoute helped West Ham lay their FA Cup hoodoo to rest on Saturday.

The Premiership side have lost to the likes of Tranmere, Swansea, Wrexham and Grimsby in recent years.

But the inspirational French striker made sure there was no repeat against the high-flying Second Division side.

The Hammers, however, had to endure a nervous final two minutes with Brett Angell pulling a goal back late on.

Kanoute scored twice and laid on the other goal for Frank Lampard. He showed he was in the mood when in the fifth minute he released Lampard with a neat back-heel and the midfielder made no mistake for the opening goal.

The Second Division side rallied impressively after the shock of falling behind at such an early stage.

Spanish left-back Zigor Aranalde came close to firing them back on level terms after 12 minutes when he saw his angled 20-yard drive fly just wide of Shaka Hislop's goal.

Aranalde's 25th-minute cross created chaos in the Hammers' area. The ball flew straight to Walsall's experienced striker, Brett Angell, who collected the ball on the edge of the six-yard box but ballooned his shot over the bar.

However, the Saddlers were not to be denied and they gained a deserved equaliser in the 32nd minute following a right-wing cross from full-back Ian Brightwell which was headed on by Jorge Leitao.

Walsall, unbeaten at home in the league, almost went ahead three minutes before the break. Hammers keeper Shaka Hislop did well to turn a header from veteran striker Brett Angell around the post.

The shock of being dragged back on to level terms sparked West Ham into a spell of intense attacking pressure.

But they were denied by the heroics of Walsall goalkeeper James Walker.

Three times in the space of 60 seconds he produced acrobatic saves to deny Kanoute, Joe Cole and Camara.

After failing to take advantage of the chances they created, West Ham could easily have found themselves trailing at half-time.

Another left-wing cross from Aranalde flew straight to Angell but once again the veteran striker squandered the opening, seeing his close-range header tipped away by West Ham keeper Shaka Hislop.

Kanoute and then Joe Cole went close for the Hammers before they regained their lead in the 58th minute.

Recent signing Titi Camara released Cole on the right and his cross was met by Kanoute, who powered a header beyond Walker.

The Walsall keeper, who had been suffering from flu, saw a shot from Trevor Sinclair cannon off the bar, before saving well from Lampard and Kanoute.

Kanoute added a third in the 82nd minute after latching onto a pass from Camara, hitting the ball first time beyond Walker.

Angell pulled another goal back for Walsall in the 88th minute and it was no more than their enterprise and spirit deserved.

Teams:

Walsall: Walker, Tillson, Barras, Brightwell (Marsh 77), Bukran, Hall (Keates 64), Bennett, Wrack, Aranalde, Angell,Leitao (Byfield 60).

Subs Not Used: Emberson, Ekelund.

Goals: Wrack 33, Angell 87.

West Ham: Hislop, Stuart Pearce, Song, Sinclair, Winterburn, Tihinen, Carrick, Cole, Lampard, Kanoute, Camara (Bassila 90).

Subs Not Used: Forrest, Moncur, Keller, Potts.

Booked: Stuart Pearce.

Goals: Lampard 6, Kanoute 57, 81.

Att: 9,402

Ref: A D'Urso (Billericay).