The Orient sustained their worst defeat of the season at the Boleyn Ground, although the result rather exaggerated West Ham's victory. The Orient tried out a goal-keeper who came with a reputation but was outclassed, and in the absence of Black and Kelly, Brookes and Barnes were poor substitutes, Armstrong played centre-forward and did well, but beyond Wlllshaw, little can be said for the efficiency of Hewitt, Crawfield and Odell all of them being much too slow.
Seldom have the Orient made so many defensive errors, on top of which Bartlett scored tor the Hammers and Brookes turned one shot away which the goalkeeper might have saved but which went Into the net.
West Ham fielded a side which was stronger than anticipated a few hours before the game started. Trigg was a newcomer who deserved his inclusion, but Lieutenant Watson-Smith, In goal. have been beaten more often had the visitors possessed an attack equal to the home quintet, so splendidly prompted by Len Goulden.
At the outset the Orient well held their own and more alertness by Crawford might have started the scoring, and It was rough luck on Armstrong who worked cleverly to make openings, to have two gilt-edged chances wasted by Hewitt and Odell,
The Hammers, on the other hand, made no mistake with opportunities. Influenced by Goulden, and Trigg got down on the left and easily sent past Hall. A few minutes later West Ham wore leading by 3-0, two goals of which ought to have been prevented.
Even with this early handicap the Orient could have drawn level had Crawford been in time to take a gem of a pass by Armstrong and again when Willshaw had a shot strike an opponent’s Legs and go to Macaulay, who started the movement whereby Dunn dashed in and made It 4-0, after Hall had fallen.
The Orient took a turn, in getting within shooting range and though Armstrong failed to control properly with only Smith to beat, he sent in a line shot which the goal-keeper managed to hold. A brace of corners fell to the Orient, which were cleared, and then Crawford bungled an easy chance. Had the score read 3-2 at half-time It would have better represented the play.
West Ham after ten minutes play succeeded in beating Hall twice more, the score reading 6-0 in West Ham's favour. Whilst apparently easing up, West Ham had to give ground through the dominant mood or Allum and more corners went to the visitors, which were easily negative. Macaulay and Goulden were then responsible for more trouble for the Orient and a shot from Trigg was met and shot past Hall by Bartlett, and when the latter handled In the penalty area the Hammers' score reached 8-0.
Again the visitors had a good spell, chiefly initiated by Allum, and after Barlett had advanced well forward with the ball, Willshaw took the pass and scored with a hard shot (8-1). Following this Odell and Hewitt failed lamentably. The visitors' advance work was much more penetrative at this stage but West Ham made it 9-1 before Armstrong obtained some reward for his endeavours by cleverly beating Fenton and scoring his side's second goal (9-2). It seemed just possible the Orient would go further ahead, but laxity and poor goal-keeping let In Foreman to score easily the Hammers' tenth goal.
The peculiar fact of the game was that the further the game progressed, the more dangerous became the Orient and just before the close Hewitt drove In a hard cross-shot. the game ending with the score at 10-3.