Football: Hutchison's early call

West Ham United 1 Chelsea 0 Liverpool's lessons in cup success are being absorbed at Upton Park's Academy. Don Hutchison, one of three recruits from Anfield, earned West Ham a place in the last 16 of the Coca-Cola Cup at the expense of Chelsea last night.

The former Liverpool player struck after just two minutes, his goal following a brisk move from West Ham's latest recruit from Anfield, the returning Julian Dicks. His quickly taken throw found Tony Cottee, himself no stranger to Merseyside, who knocked the ball down and Hutchison curled it beyond Dimitri Kharin, at full stretch.

Thereafter, the home side staged a stoic defence against a determined, but injury depleted, Chelsea, whose Gavin Peacock became the latest name on the long injury list at Stamford Bridge.

Hutchison, who missed last Saturday's win over Southampton with a leg injury, should have added a second goal in the 27th minute when Mike Marsh, another bought from Liverpool, played him clear of the Chelsea defence only for Gareth Hall's deft tackle to deny him.

By then, Chelsea had lost Peacock, stretchered off to hospital for X-rays on his right ankle damaged in challenge with Alvin Martin. It was Chelsea's 15th injury of the season and the manager, Glenn Hoddle, can hardly have expected the spirited response his side showed after David Hopkins came on as substitute.

The West Ham goalkeeper, Ludek Miklosko, performed magnificently to deny Chelsea, ably marshalled by Dennis Wise. Miklosko acrobatically thwarted efforts from Erland Johnsen, Neil Shipperley and Wise twice. After his full stretch, left-handed save from a 60th minute header, Wise held his head in disbelief - then ran up to shake the goalkeeper's hand. That single action confirmed that it was not to be Chelsea's night.

West Ham: Miklosko; Breacker, Martin, Potts, Dicks, Allen, Rush, Bishop, Marsh, Cottee, Hutchison. Substitutes: Chapman, Whitbread, Feuer (gk).

Chelsea: Kharin; Hall (Lee, 77), Kjeldbjerg, Johnsen, Barness, Rocastle, Newton, Spackman, Wise, Peacock (Hopkin, 15), Shipperley. Substitute not used: Hitchcock (gk).

Referee: K Cooper (Pontypridd) replaced by J Norbury (Harlow) h-t.