Scott Dann made his comeback from injury this evening.

A very young Blues reserve team were hit for six on a balmy East London evening as a strong West Ham side ran riot.

Terry Westley's side found themselves two goals adrift within the opening eight minutes and another two goals before the break ended the game as a contest.

The Hammers added two further second half strikes for good measure on a torrid night for the young visiting side.

The task ahead of Terry Westley's players was always going to be a tough one as they faced a star-studded Hammers team that included £6m recent signing from Livorno Alessandra Diamanti and Swiss international Valon Behrami, who was making his comeback from injury.

Other relatively experienced names in the West Ham side were former Fiorentina defender Manuel Da Costa and ex-Blues midfield loanee Nigel Quashie, while another new signing from the continent, highly-rated full-back Davide Ferrari also made his first appearance.

Blues included Scott Dann in the side as the summer signing stepped up his rehabilitation from a thigh injury picked up during pre-season.

Colin Doyle was the only other senior professional in a visiting outfit made up predominantly of Academy scholars.

An uphill challenge was made all the more daunting when the hosts opened the scoring after just three minutes when striker Zavon Hines cut inside and fired an unstoppable shot into the top corner from 25 yards.

Dann donned the captain's armband for the visitors and played a skipper's role with two tremendous last-ditch tackles, to deny Hines on both occasions, within the opening six minutes.

And Hines also headed against the bar in what was one-way traffic during the opening stages.

The second goal arrived after only eight minutes when defender Bondz N'Gala picked up the ball on the edge of the box and curled a delightful shot beyond the dive of Doyle into the top corner.

Blues recovered from the early onslaught and the setback of conceding two early goals and settled more into the game.

Midway through the half Jake Jervis won a free-kick on the right of the penalty area and Luke Rowe saw his shot deflected wide for a corner.

Blues almost reduced the deficit shortly afterwards. Jervis showed good determination to close down a back pass and Hammers goalkeeper Marek Stech's attempted clearance rebounded off the visiting striker but unfortunately span just wide of the target.

Rowe's name went into the referee's notebook after a reckless challenge on Josh Payne before Diamanti tried his luck with a curling effort that was always rising and didn't trouble Doyle on the half-hour.

But a few minutes later Diamanti had a chance to prove his quality again as the Hammers new boy hit a free-kick up and over the Blues wall into the top corner.

And there was still time for the Hammers to add a fourth when Hines jinked and turned inside the area before firing past Doyle.

Blues made a change at half-time with Dann going off to be replaced by Jamie Dunphy. Hopefully it was just a case of easing the defender back into action rather than anything more sinister.

Dann was certainly kept busy during the first 45 minutes and had performed well under intense pressure from the home side.

The first real chance of the second period came with an audacious chipped effort from Frank Nouble when through one-on-one with Doyle after a delicious back heel from Diamante, but the Hammers youngster tried to be too clever and his shot floated over the bar.

Blues introduced schoolboy Josh Hawker for his reserve team debut just before the hour with Dan Preston making way.

The Hammers scored a fifth goal after confusion between Doyle and his defenders let in Hines and the striker did the simple thing and side-footed past the keeper.

Blues' first chance of the second half fell to sub Hawker when he ran on to a loose ball inside the area but sent his shot just wide of the target.

Diamante's free-kick prowess was on display again for the Hammers' sixth goal. Jamie Dunphy was booked for a foul and the Italian fired the resultant kick around the end of the wall and past Doyle at the near post.

West Ham took off their new boy shortly afterwards, no doubt to the relief of the young visiting side.

As the minutes ticked by it turned into a session of shooting practice for the hosts with Doyle having to field several shots including an effort from Hammers sub Anthony Edgar that was bound for the top corner.

Blues survived the final 25 minutes with no further goals scored on another steep learning curve for Westley's charges.

Hubbins almost grabbed a late consolation when his 20-yard shot was tipped over the bar by Stech.

West Ham: Marek Stech, Davide Ferrari (Matthew Fry 75), Fabio Daprela, Nigel Quashie, Bondz N'Gala, Manuel Da Costa, Josh Payne, Valon Behrami (Danny Kearns 58), Frank Nouble, Zavon Hines, Alessandra Diamanti (Anthony Edgar 65)
Subs (not used): Adam Street, Matthew Fry, Andrea Zola.
Goals: Hines 3, N'Gala, Diamanti 2.

Blues: Colin Doyle, David Joyce, Luke Rowe, Will Packwood, Scott Dann (Jamie Dunphy 46), Daniel Preston (Josh Hawker 58), Luke Hubbins, Ashley Sammons, Jake Jervis, Brice Ntambwe, Jakub Hronec (Shane Williams 82).
Subs (not used): Jack Butland.
Bookings: Rowe, Dunphy