The Hammers were victorious by three goals to one in a game that they dominated for long periods.
West Ham’s midfield star Scott Parker opened the scoring with an exquisite finish before goals from Ba and Cole finished off the Reds.
Parker had been a major doubt for the game after suffering a shoulder problem during a training session only 24 hours early.
“We thought he couldn’t play,” said Grant of Parker. “But Scott is a special guy. The spirit he showed was great.
“Three hours before the game, we thought there was no way he would play. He did it five minutes before the end of training. But we didn’t want to lose him. One of the things that happened with this team, despite the problems we’ve had, is that the spirit has been high.
“Scott is the best example of this. It was a bad, bad injury. He couldn’t walk or move his arms. The medical department were sure he couldn’t play, but they did a good job and gave him 24 hours of treatment.
“I prepared the game without him. He needed more than an injection, but the medical department did brilliantly with him. He’s the type of player I like: he always gives 100%, is always positive.”