A second-string Hammers line-up was bereft of players who have featured in summer international matches, while injuries also ruled out Valon Behrami, Scott Parker and Dean Ashton.

New signing Luis Jimenez only arrived in England this week after signing on loan from Inter Milan and will join up with Gianfranco Zola's squad tomorrow ahead of their two-week training camp in Austria.

Julien Faubert, James Collins and Kieron Dyer were the only recognised first-team players in Zola's starting line-up, but the visitors nevertheless had too much quality for their non-league hosts.

Jamaican youngster Zavon Hines opened the scoring for the Barclays Premier League side before former Tottenham youth player Jamie Slabber levelled for Grays with a low shot past Peter Kurucz.

Hammers centre-back Danny Gabbidon came on at the interval as he continued his comeback after 18 months on the sidelines, while 17-year-old Cristian Montano hit West Ham's winner with a side-footed finish 17 minutes from time.

Stoke's pre-season bid got off to an ignominious start as they slumped to a surprise 2-1 loss at non-league Newcastle Town.

Matthew Etherington cancelled out the hosts' opener at Lyme Valley Stadium but Chris Budrys found a shock winner for Town as Tony Pulis saw his top-flight charges humbled.

Pulis' misery was completed as a Stoke XI side featuring the likes of Ryan Shawcross, Liam Lawrence and Danny Higginbotham also went down to defeat today, 2-0 against Nantwich.

Yorkshire rivals Leeds and York put on an entertaining match as they drew 3-3 at Kitkat Crescent.

Adam Smith fired the hosts into the lead against their League One opponents with a superb 25-yard strike but Simon Grayson's side were level before the break through Luciano Becchio.

Mike Whitwell (52) and Andy Milne (82) appeared to have Leeds cruising to victory but York fought back in stoppage time, first clawing one back through Alex Lawless' dipping shot from the edge of the area before a trialist bundled over the equaliser, although the final touch appeared to come off a defender.