Under-23s beaten at West Ham

Our Under-23s endured a frustrating evening on Monday as they fell to a 3-1 defeat away to West Ham in the Premier League 2.

Despite there being little to separate the sides in the first 40 minutes, goals either side of half-time from Sonny Perkins and Thierry Nevers put our hosts in the driving seat. As we battled for a way back into the game, we were then hit on the counter with 11 minutes remaining as Kamarai Swyer scored his side's third. We did get on the scoresheet in the game's closing stages with Max Robson firing home in injury time - his first goal at this level - but it proved a mere consolation.

For most of the first half, there was little between the two sides as both struggled to fashion any clear-cut opportunities. In the opening exchanges, Robson and West Ham’s Perkins both went close with headers before the two goalkeepers were tested by speculative efforts from range via Marcel Lavinier and the home side’s Armstrong Oko-Flex.

From the half-hour mark though, it was us who appeared to step up the game’s intensity, pressing from the front and giving our hosts little space in their defensive third. Opportunities came from that, including an opening for Yago Santiago, who will be disappointed he couldn’t do more with the ball after neatly controlling a fine cross from Romaine Mundle in the six-yard area.

Speculative efforts then came from Matthew Craig and West Ham’s Pierre Ekwah before, on 42 minutes, a lapse in concentration on the right allowed the Irons in. Harrison Ashby was allowed time and space on the edge of the box to whip in a delivery. He picked out Perkins and, after he was able to take a touch and turn in the box, he drilled the ball into the corner of the net.

Breaking the deadlock so close to half-time gave our hosts the advantage and the momentum in the contest and, after the restart, they immediately capitalised on that. From a free-kick left of centre on 50 minutes, Emmanuel Longelo delivered a teasing ball towards the back post where Nevers was waiting to head home.

We improved in our intensity after that goal though and came close to reducing the deficit on the hour mark, Robson striking the stanchion of the goal from an acute angle. The lively Mundle then drew a brilliant save out of Krisztian Hegyi on 77 minutes with an effort from the edge of the area.

However, any chance of a comeback was ended on 79 minutes as, with us pressing for a way back into the game, the Hammers hit us on the counter as Swyer steered home his side’s third just a minute after coming off the bench.

We did get back into the game though as, with two minutes of stoppage time played, Robson showed great strength and composure in the box to hold off two defenders before turning and finding the back of the net – a goal which opened his Premier League 2 account.

Match data

Goals: West Ham – Perkins 42, Nevers 50, Swyer 79; Spurs – Robson 90+2.

Yellow cards: West Ham – Laing 38; Spurs – Lavinier 81.

Referee: James Durkin.

Weather: Cloudy but mild, 14 degrees.

Venue: Rush Green training ground.