U21s lose 3-0 to West Ham
The U's U21s have been beaten by West Ham.
The Hammers ran out 3-0 winners, but the game was closer than the score suggested.
Both sides had their fair share of chances but the Hammers youngsters were more clinical in their finishing.
The scoring was opened in the thirty fifth minute, giving the Hammers a goal lead at the break, before two of the numerous substitutes added goals in the second period.
Marcus Bean and Josh Thompson were included in the U's line up, looking for match time ahead of the weekend game against Coventry.
And both completed the planned forty five minute outings before being replaced at half time.
The game started with both teams looking to keep the ball and there wasn't too much action in either penalty area in the opening minutes.
The Hammers ran out 3-0 winners, but the game was closer than the score suggested.
Both sides had their fair share of chances but the Hammers youngsters were more clinical in their finishing.
The scoring was opened in the thirty fifth minute, giving the Hammers a goal lead at the break, before two of the numerous substitutes added goals in the second period.
Marcus Bean and Josh Thompson were included in the U's line up, looking for match time ahead of the weekend game against Coventry.
And both completed the planned forty five minute outings before being replaced at half time.
The game started with both teams looking to keep the ball and there wasn't too much action in either penalty area in the opening minutes.
West Ham had the first sight of goal, as Cullen hit the post after good build up play down the Hammers' right.
Halfway through the half, the best chance of the half fell to Ryan Melaugh but his shot lacked any power and the visiting keeper made the save.
A minute later, Melaugh had the ball in the net after the keeper spilled Conor Hubble's shot but the flag was up for offside.
Jordan Sanderson then shot over as the U's looked to put a goal on the board.
On the half hour, Hubble put a free kick over the bar and a few minutes later, the U's were punished at the other end.
The ball was put into the U's box and centre half Burke put his header into the net after fellow centre half Harney's header came back off the bar.
At half time, Bean and Thompson were replaced by Sammy Szmodics and Frankie Kent and it was the U's who asked the early questions in the second period.
Sanderson's low cross was cut out and then Melaugh was denied as Nemvara in the Hammers' goal tipped over his own bar.
A flurry of West Ham substitutions spurred the Hammers into life and one of them, Dylan Tombides, got the second goal.
Fellow sub Kieran Sadler played him in on the right and Tombides' delicate chip gave Cousins no chance.
That came on sixty eight minutes and six later, it was over as a contest as the third went in.
Halfway through the half, the best chance of the half fell to Ryan Melaugh but his shot lacked any power and the visiting keeper made the save.
A minute later, Melaugh had the ball in the net after the keeper spilled Conor Hubble's shot but the flag was up for offside.
Jordan Sanderson then shot over as the U's looked to put a goal on the board.
On the half hour, Hubble put a free kick over the bar and a few minutes later, the U's were punished at the other end.
The ball was put into the U's box and centre half Burke put his header into the net after fellow centre half Harney's header came back off the bar.
At half time, Bean and Thompson were replaced by Sammy Szmodics and Frankie Kent and it was the U's who asked the early questions in the second period.
Sanderson's low cross was cut out and then Melaugh was denied as Nemvara in the Hammers' goal tipped over his own bar.
A flurry of West Ham substitutions spurred the Hammers into life and one of them, Dylan Tombides, got the second goal.
Fellow sub Kieran Sadler played him in on the right and Tombides' delicate chip gave Cousins no chance.
That came on sixty eight minutes and six later, it was over as a contest as the third went in.
A cross was cleared to the edge of the box, and another of the subs, Dan Whitehead, volleyed home via the fingertips of Cousins and the post.
In the latter stages, the U's treid for a consolation goal but Billy Roast headed over and Sanderson drilled a shot just wide.
Clinical finishing was the real difference between the teams on the night but there were still positives from the young side that Richard Hall selected.
In the latter stages, the U's treid for a consolation goal but Billy Roast headed over and Sanderson drilled a shot just wide.
Clinical finishing was the real difference between the teams on the night but there were still positives from the young side that Richard Hall selected.