West Ham United U18s moved top of the U18 Premier League South table with a 2-1 victory over fellow title-chasers Crystal Palace at Little Heath on Friday morning.
The result was not only remarkable for being the young Hammers’ ninth win from their last ten league games – they are unbeaten in all competitions since early December, and in the league since September – but also for the quality of the opposition it was achieved against.
Palace started the game only two points behind the young Hammers, having emerged victorious in the reverse fixture 2-1 in August, and were themselves unbeaten in eight matches prior to Friday’s game, winning their previous five.
But after West Ham went behind in a match for the first time since December to a well-placed finish from Palace midfielder Maliq Cadogan midway through the first half, quickfire goals from first-year scholars Divin Mubama and Regan Clayton prior to half-time – both excellent finishes – set them back on course for victory.
And were it not for several good stops in the second half from Palace goalkeeper and former Hammers prospect, Laurence Shala, and several spurned opportunities, the Irons might have added to their tally.
Indeed, our U18s’ performances at both ends of the pitch have been emphatic: in West Ham’s last ten fixtures, we have now scored a total of 35 goals, conceding just five.
Such form has contributed to a sequence of results which have moved Kevin Keen’s youth team two points clear of Southampton at the southern division’s summit, albeit with the Saints having played two games fewer at this stage of the season.
Both teams’ desire to get off to a good start did lead to a cagey opening period at a wet and windy Little Heath on Friday, efforts from long range not really creating much threat from either side.
Indeed, the only really invention of note came from Palace forward Victor Akinwale with a clever pirouette inside the West Ham area, but Irons captain Michael Forbes was not adjudged to have made any contact as the forward tumbled and the ball trickled through to Jacob Knightbridge.
Precious little had been created by either side prior to the game-opening goal on the half-an-hour mark.
A committed run from Palace right-back Joshua Addae saw him drift between West Ham midfielder George Earthy and defender Clayton, and the full-back picked a clever reverse pass into the feet of Cadogan, who – having also scored in the reverse game – side-footed an accurate low finish across Knightbridge and into the bottom corner.
West Ham had not been behind in a game since their FA Youth Cup third-round defeat in December – but Keen’s troops responded immediately, and emphatically.
A poor touch from Palace midfielder James Leonard 30 yards from goal was pounced upon immediately by West Ham’s Lewis Orford, who poked it forwards for Mubama to race through and dispatch across the ‘keeper.
For 16-year-old Orford, it was an eleventh assist of his Academy season; for 17-year-old Mubama, it was a 13th strike to boot.
West Ham might have led just two minutes later when Orford produced a moment of sheer magic, bringing down a loose headed clearance on his chest and firing a sensational half-volleyed pass towards Earthy.
The No8’s finish on the stretch beat the ‘keeper, but not the covering defender on the line.
No matter. Three minutes later, goalscorer turned provider as Mubama played in Clayton on the overlap and the 17-year-old – from a seemingly impossible angle and position – lashed a rocket of a finish above Shala and into the roof of the net.
And there was to be one final chance for Mubama before the half-time whistle as the forward, leading a counter-charge, allowed others to run beyond him before attempting a low shot across Shala’s goalmouth, the ‘keeper getting down low to kick away.
Into the second half and, well and truly in their stride, our chances to extend the lead kept coming.
A low corner from Junior Robinson appeared to narrowly miss contact from Forbes’ swinging boot inside the six-yard box, before Palace’s attempted clearance cannoned off the Northern Ireland youth international – just wide.
Forbes then nearly turned provider with a hopeful punt up field which caught Shala and his Palace defenders out of position, only for Callum Marshall to sadly miscue his finish for West Ham when clean through.
Soon after, a whipped first-time cross from the left foot of Oliver Scarles took a deflection which tested Shala’s reflexes, forcing him to sprawl across the Palace goal.
But up until stoppage time, Keen and his West Ham coaches will have been just as delighted with the Irons’ defensive performance, as they soaked up spells of Palace possession and pressure while providing a platform for our own clear chances.
It was not until the 94th minute that the visitors came close to what would have been a harsh equaliser, but thankfully Fionn Mooney’s looping header from a corner landed the wrong side of Knightbridge’s far post.
The Hammers greeted the full-time whistle with understandable jubilation, moving top of the table with an impressive result against equally in-form opposition.
“The boys did tremendously,” U18s assistant coach Gerard Prenderville told whufc.com. “It was a tough game because of the windy conditions.
“We knew the game was going to be tight, but we found a way today. We went behind in the game for the first time in a long time, so it was really important to see how the boys reacted to going behind. They showed tremendous character.
“It was a really good team performance, all the way through from the first to the last whistle, goalkeeper to the front men, and substitutes who came on. It was a real team display, collectively working our socks off, making last-ditch tackles…
“We’ve had some great results of late, scoring fives and sixes, but also for the boys’ development, they need to learn how to win the other day a little bit, grinding it out and showing resilience within the team, and they definitely did that today.
“Kev [Keen] said to the lads afterwards about what a strong, together group they are. They’ve continued to improve every day, which is what we try to do as staff every single day, and it’s shown in our form.
“We won’t stop there. We’ve got to keep going now. We want to hopefully be competing at the right end of the table season in, season out, like the first team.”
Next up is another U18 Premier League South fixture at home to Brighton & Hove Albion on Tuesday.
West Ham United U18s: Knightbridge, Robinson, Falase, Casey, Forbes ©, Clayton, Woods, Earthy (Coddington 90+2), Orford (Scarles 75), Marshall (Kodua 75), Mubama
Subs not used: Terry (GK)
Goals: Mubama 36, Clayton 43
Booked: Forbes, Mubama