Sonny Perkins admitted the context of Monday’s Premier League 2 match away to Everton made the 4-3 win for West Ham United U23s even sweeter.
Despite playing well, the development side found themselves two goals behind in the first half at Finch Farm Training Complex, before Perkins gave the Hammers a way back into the match on 42 minutes with a low finish.
The striker added a second moments into the second half with an instinctive strike inside the area, only for Everton to retake the lead just a few minutes later courtesy of a deflected free-kick.
Undeterred, the Irons kept on pushing, eventually levelling through Manny Longelo’s clever finish, before Armstrong Okoflex blasted in a rocket to secure all three points in a thrilling fixture.
“The way we won this game made it a lot more satisfying,” Perkins told whufc.com.
“We went down 2-0, which we felt was against the run of play. We didn’t deserve to be two goals down and we were playing well. Everyone is really proud of how we got back into the game.
"We have to be honest and say we’ve not been playing well recently, but this game was back to the levels where we want to be. It almost felt like we needed to show a reaction and have a bit more intensity in everything we did.
“We knew we were playing well and I think I alone had two or three shots before we went behind, so we knew there were goals in the game for us. Fair play to Everton, they were clinical with the chances that presented themselves, but we kept our heads and got back into it.”
Perkins’ two finishes were more than deserved after a superb individual display from the striker, who would have certainly added more to his personal tally if not for a string of excellent saves by the Everton goalkeeper.
The 18-year-old was happy with his own showing, revealing the individual work he had been doing on other areas of his game in recent sessions.
He continued: “I’m very happy with my goals. To be honest, I think I could have had more. But I’m happy with my two.
"I felt like I got into good positions and it’s always great to get goals. It’s what I’m in the team to do and it’s what I want to do.
“I’ve been trying to work on my overall play too. I think there are some games when, as a forward, it doesn’t quite come off for whatever reason, but that’s the nature of the position.
"I’ve been doing a lot of work this week on my own in terms of controlling the ball, laying it off, different sorts of passes, and aerial duels. I think it showed against Everton that I’ve been working on it.”
Victory over Everton secures second place in Premier League 2 Division 1 for the Hammers.
While Perkins admitted the side were disappointed to not have finished the season as champions, the forward said that the side would have likely been thrilled to take such a position at the start of the campaign.
“Robbo said to us after the game that it was a good achievement to come as high as we did. With the quality we have in our team and, with some of the performances we’ve put in this season, we’re disappointed to not win the league.
“But, if you’d offered us second after the difficult season last year, we would have taken it. It shows we’ve had a good year, overall.”
