AFTER all the ugliness of the last few days, 120 minutes in which you could be proud to call yourself a Wanderers fan.

Forget the jeers, jibes and hostility — this was cup football how it should be, and a crowd that was lapping it up.

Wanderers were just four minutes from crashing out of the Carling Cup, trailing to Herita Ilunga’s second-half strike when skipper Kevin Davies scrambled in an equaliser of untold significance, given the weekend’s events.

And then, with the smattering of fans wringing the last drops out of their flasks and anticipating a penalty shoot-out, up steps a burly centre half to slam a 20-yard screamer befitting of any striker in the game.

Gary Cahill might as well pick up Wanderers’ goal of the season trophy right now, because there won’t be a better one scored by Gary Megson’s side again before May.

And to top it all off, Johan Elmander emerged from the bench to score his first goal since November.

The first half proved to be a fascinating battle between the two goalkeepers, with neither giving an inch.

At one end, Jussi Jaaskelainen made three saves inside the first two minutes to deny Keiron Dyer, Scott Parker and Mark Noble and was called into action again midway through the half to rush off his line and block a shot from Zavon Hines.

With more goalmouth action inside the first 10 minutes than there had been in 90 on Saturday against Stoke, the 8,030 supporters who had taken advantage of reduced ticket prices were getting a much better deal for their money.

England keeper Rob Green — who had a nightmare at Upton Park against Wanderers last season — looked like a man eager to prove a point. After tipping a Zat Knight header round the post 15 minutes in, he produced an even more impressive save to palm Ivan Klasnic’s header over the crossbar.

The Croatia international striker, making his first start since signing on loan from Nantes, looked in menacing form but should have opened his account for the Whites a few minutes earlier when he conspired to kick fresh air instead of tapping Kevin Davies’s low cross into a relatively unguarded net.

Despite the alarming number of empty seats strewn around the Reebok, those present were in remarkably good cheer.

Former Reebok favourite El-Hadji Diouf was watching from an executive box — a surprising sight given that Blackburn were playing last night too — and his appearance produced some good natured banter.

West Ham grew into the ascendancy as the half wore on, with Hines causing problems as he looked particularly lively for the visitors.

The young Jamaican’s pace was causing problems for the Whites, and only a timely intervention from Cahill just before the break prevented him from getting another free run on goal.

Wanderers started the second half with attacking intent, and a mis-kick from Klasnic caused Green to back-peddle and palm the ball onto the roof of his own net.

But in the wave of one foot, it all went horribly wrong.

Allessandro Diamante’s corner dropped invitingly for Matt Taylor to volley away at the near post, but the Wanderers midfielder sliced his clearance, which then zipped across the six-yard box for Herita Ilunga to tap home with ease.

Kevin Davies had a chance to bring his side level almost immediately but his shot from just outside the area whistled inches over Green’s crossbar.

Megson brought on Elmander, Chung-Yong Lee and Tamir Cohen in the latter stages to try and milk another goal out of the game — but just as Wanderers’ creativity looked like it had suddenly deserted them, their 15th corner of the game was turned in by Davies.

The skipper has a habit of scoring against the Hammers but his efforts were nearly ruined when Jaaskelainen and Cahill got in a tangle four minutes into injury time, leaving substitute Carlton Cole with a free shot at goal. Thankfully, Knight had got back in time to cover, and the game continued.

Wanderers signalled their intention to get a second early in extra time with Parker scrambling a Davies effort off the line and Taylor thudding a 25-yard free-kick off the base of the post.

But when the goal came, it was worth waiting for. Chung-Yong’s cross was headed to the edge of the box by Davies and although Muamba’s first shot was blocked, Cahill followed up with a pile-driver that whistled past Green into the top corner to spark mass celebrations on and off the pitch.

West Ham tried to conjure an equaliser, and Diamante came within inches as his left-foot shot skimmed off the crossbar with six minutes left on the clock.

But their hopes were dashed with just two minutes to go, as Elmander crashed Lee's pass home from close range to seal Wanderers’ place in round four.