Tomas Soucek’s second-half goal ensured West Ham passed a tough test in the third round of the Carabao Cup in Lincoln with a 1–0 win.
This was nothing but ‘job done’ for the Hammers, as Soucek’s 70th minute kick from a corner booked their place in the next round, where they face a home game against Arsenal.
Boss David Moyes made a host of changes to his side, but Soucek was one of his Premier League starters involved and that proved crucial, while goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski also made a number of good saves.
League One Lincoln, last-round winners at Sheffield United, gave them a scare and should have been ahead in the first half but they could not pull off another upset.
This home game for the Imps was reward for their penalty shootout victory at Bramall Lane in August and they had plans for a second shock.
They had to survive a scare in the opening 20 minutes when defender Sean Roughan slipped while receiving a pass at the crucial moment, allowing Max Cornet to charge forward.
However, goalkeeper Lukas Jensen came out well to smother attempts from Danny Ings and Said Benrahma.
From then on the Imps started to cause their visitors some problems, with Reeco Hackett firing a fierce shot from distance straight at Fabianski.
They thought they had taken the lead in the 26th minute when Alex Mitchell turned in Ali Smith’s cross at the far post, but he was offside.
Lincoln kept going and should have taken the lead just before half time.
With a lovely move, Smith found himself in space on the left and he sent a perfect cross to Hackett to produce a powerful header that seemed destined to ripple the net, but Fabianski somehow managed to clear it away working with a flying stop.
In the first fifteen minutes of the second half a storm swept through Sincil Bank and with the wind at their tail Lincoln put West Ham in and they would have fancy their chances to create something with their direct approach.
But the quality left much to be desired and when the wind died down, the threat of the Imps also diminished.
The Hammers started to take control but barely opened the door and needed a set-piece to go in front.
Benrahma tapped in a low corner from the left and Soucek poked the ball home at the near post.
Shortly afterwards they almost made it 2-0 when Ben Johnson unleashed a 30-yard shot that bounced off the post.
Lincoln went for it in the final 15 minutes in an attempt to force penalties and Dylan Duffy tested Fabianksi with a stinging shot from range which met the keeper with a full save.
West Ham managed to advance to the fourth round for the fourth year in a row.