West Ham United U18s 4-1 Southampton U18s
Premier League U18s South, Little Heath, Saturday 20 August
A fine second half showing from West Ham United U18s earned the young Irons a deserved 4-1 victory over Southampton.
The Saints – the reigning Premier League U18s South champions – took the lead early in the first half through Will Merry’s close-ranged header.
The Irons had shown glimpses and were unfortunate not to register a goal after Gideon Kodua’s early effort was ruled out for offside, before Oliver Scarles’ direct finish from a corner was chalked off after a foul was determined to have been committed in the build-up.
But the Hammers showed their quality in the second half and got a deserved leveller when Lewis Orford’s corner found the net, via the post, before Southampton defender Nat Boot turned into his own net to give the Hammers the lead.
Callum Marshall and Gideon Kodua each added late goals – both superb finishes from inside the area – to wrap up an impressive victory against the Saints.
Lead coach Kevin Keen was delighted with the resiliency shown by the young Hammers for a second consecutive week, having also secured a comeback victory away to Crystal Palace last Saturday.
He said: “Southampton are a good team and they’re very well organised. They play a completely different formation that you don’t normally come across with other Academy teams, so it was a tough game.
“But this group of players, they dig in, they never give up. It would be nice to go into a game and not go a goal or two down, but we got there in the end and it was a good win.
“We were good in the first half, but we just couldn’t get the ball in the net. The referee disallowed one which was perhaps a bit fortuitous for them, but I thought we played some really good football in the first half.
“Last week we were two goals down at Crystal Palace and came back to win, and we’ve come back to win today. This is a very resilient group and a very strong group, mentally. There’s a real resilience that has built up over the last year. I feel like we just go for it and I like it.”
The Hammers thought they had taken the early advantage at Little Heath when Gideon Kodua was played through on goal, only for his first-time finish to be ruled out by the linesman’s flag.
The first goal of the contest would come not too long after as the visiting side took the lead. A corner from the left was recycled by the Saints and, with Mason Terry unable to reach the ball, a grateful Merry headed in unchallenged at the far post.
Kodua tested the Southampton back-line immediately after, seeing his header force a save from shot-stopper Eric Hanbury, before Daniel Rigge set up Callum Marshall from six yards. The Northern Irishman’s effort was loose, and comfortably held.
The Irons once again had the ball in the net on 22 minutes as Oliver Scarles’ corner seemed to sail straight in at the far post, much to the delight of the West Ham fans in attendance. However, the officials determined that a foul had been made on Hanbury during the set play, and another finish was again ruled out.
Southampton came close to a second from another corner as Nat Boot missed from close-range with a powerful headed effort, before Lewis Orford’s attempted right-footed effort was blocked away, ensuring the visitors held their advantage into the interval.
The away side almost got another immediately following the restart as striker Tommy Higgs fired wide from inside the penalty area, before Rigge took a first-time effort up the other end for West Ham, which was just over the bar.
The Irons stepped their energy and press up and continued to drive into dangerous attacking areas, with Orford forcing a stop and George Earthy’s driven strike well-saved.
As the hour mark ticked by, West Ham saw two more half-chances denied. Kodua’s first-time strike was over the cross-bar before Marshall received the ball and cut inside on his left, which was tipped away.
The relentless pressure put on by the U18s eventually paid off, however, and on 68 minutes the Irons got a deserved equaliser. Orford’s whipped corner caught the entire Saints defence out, clipping the inside of the post and bouncing into the net for the leveller.
Further buoyed by their earned finish, the Hammers continued pushing against a deflated Southampton. The crosses were troubling the away side and Scarles’ low ball troubled the back-line. The fizzing effort could not be dealt with and Saints’ centre-back Boot could only turn it into his own goal.
Enthused by their advantage, the home team continued to push forward and found a deserved third six minutes from time. The industrious and clinical Marshall continued his fine form, rifling a powerful left-footed finish into the roof of the net.
And Kodua wrapped up a brilliant win for the youngster, toe-poking in a tricky finish to secure the Irons’ fourth goal and the three points.
Having been a goal behind at the half-time interval, Keen explained the messages given to the U18s which helped propel them to victory in the second half.
“We gave the lads some very clear messages at half-time. We felt like we turned the ball over too many times in the first half. Southampton are very good at counter-pressing so that was my one big message at half-time and we did it very well in the second half.
“Apart from a couple of counter-attacks, which Mason Terry dealt with very well, I thought we handled them very well. With the front players we’ve got, we’re always going to get chances to score.”
Despite wins against last season’s champions and third-placed Crystal Palace in the first two weeks, Keen says the Hammers will not get carried away, noting that U18s football sees new faces in every side each season.
“Under-18s football is different. I think Southampton probably had three players in their team who played for them last year. I think we had five, so every year at this age range is different. You have a new group come in and it’s all very fluid. Fulham were dominant for a couple of years. Chelsea were dominant for a couple of years before that. Southampton won it last year, so it’s all very fluid.
“It’s great we’ve started with a couple of wins but we don’t want to get carried away. There is lots and lots of hard work to do but I keep saying the good thing about this group is they get their heads down and they work hard.”
West Ham United U18s: Terry, Battrum, Falase, Casey, Scarles, Orford, Kelly (Fawunmi (90+1), Rigge (Mukasa 68), Earthy (Akpata 85), Marshall, Kodua
Subs not used: Herrick, Briggs
Goals: Orford 68, Boots (OG) 74, Marshall 84, Kodua 90+2
