Derby's Benito Carbone became the latest target of the clampdown on diving when Graham Poll showed him yellow early in the second half as he tumbled in the area under real pressure. A second, deserved, caution minutes later for jumping into Tomas Repka, led to his dismissal.
It proved the beginning of the end for Derby's hopes as West Ham eventually ran riot. Sebastien Schemmel had scored their first goal after five minutes, but the game faded until Carbone's exit, as Paolo Di Canio added a second 15 minutes from time.
A goal-of-the-month contender from Trevor Sinclair came in the 86th minute. A Di Canio corner was effortlessly flicked on by Joe Cole from the edge of the area to the far post for Sinclair to brilliantly scissor kick beyond Mart Poom, who was beaten for a fourth time in injury time by substitute Jermain Defoe.
WEST HAM: James, Schemmel, Repka, Dailly, Winterburn, Cole, Carrick, Hutchison, Sinclair, Di Canio (Moncur 89), Kanoute (Defoe 74). Subs not used: Hislop, Foxe, Kitson. Booked: Repka. Goals: Schemmel 5, Di Canio 73, Sinclair 86, Defoe 90.
DERBY: Poom, Zavagno, Riggott (Bolder 61), Higginbotham, Grenet, Mawene, Powell, Boertien, Ducrocq (Kinkladze 48), Carbone, Ravanelli. Subs not used: Oakes, Christie, Burton. Sent off: Carbone (53). Booked: Zavagno, Carbone, Grenet.
Referee: G Poll (Tring).
