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2009-10 Barclays Premier Reserve League

Manager: Alex Dyer

Home games played at Bishop's Stortford Woodside Park Stadium and Upton Park

ASTON VILLA
Villa Park
1 - 2 (Edgar)
1 September 2009

Kurucz

N'Gala

Brown

Fry

Eyjolfsson

Zola (Wearen)

Lee (Montano)

Payne

Edgar

Nouble

Hines

West Ham United's Barclays Premier Reserve League South campaign began with a narrow 2-1 loss at reigning champions Aston Villa. A youthful Hammers lineup played a full part in a keenly-contested game at Villa Park, but were unable to resist the home side, who have won the title in each of the last two seasons and also beat North champions Sunderland in the inter-division play-off in May.

Highly-rated striker Nathan Delfouneso fired Villa into a fourth-minute lead with a smart finish as Villa enjoyed much the better of things before half-time.

West Ham's sole chance of the opening 45 minutes fell to Zavon Hines, but the Jamaican was unable to replicate his finish in last Tuesday's Carling Cup victory over Millwall, shooting too close to veteran goalkeeper Andy Marshall.

The Hammers, who lost midfielder Andrea Zola to a facial injury midway through the opening 45 minutes, came out strongly after the break, and were level five minutes into the second period. Matt Fry was fouled by Chris Herd as he broke forward down the left, Anthony Edgar swung over a vicious, curling free-kick and the ball looped past Marshall via the head of Villa's Republic of Ireland youth international striker James Collins.

For a while, it appeared Alex Dyer's side could go on to claim all three points, but the Villans had other ideas, securing the victory themselves thanks to a sumptuous volley from substitute Gary Gardner 18 minutes from full-time.

BIRMINGHAM CITY
Upton Park
6 - 0 (Hines 3, Diamanti 2 [1 pen], N'Gala)
8 September 2009

Stech

Ferrari (Fry)

Daprela

N'Gala

Da Costa

Payne

Quashie

Behrami (Kearns)

Hines

Nouble

Diamanti (Edgar)

West Ham United handed Valon Behrami the perfect welcome back to competitive action in the shape of a 6-0 Barclays Premier Reserve League South thrashing of Birmingham City. The Switzerland midfielder, back after six months out with a knee ligament problem, was back to his irrepressible best against the Blues, laying on the opening goal for hat-trick hero Zavon Hines.

While the sight of Behrami bounding around the Boleyn Ground pitch was most welcome, then so were the performances of new boys Alessandro Diamanti, Manuel Da Costa and Davide Ferrari. Diamanti, in particular, caught the eye with a display full of incisive passes, clever flicks and powerful shooting with his trademark left foot - capping a memorable evening with two fantastic free-kicks.

For manager Alex Dyer, who saw his team bounce back from a 2-1 defeat at Aston Villa a week ago, the evening could not have gone much better in front of a 1,250-strong crowd.

WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS
Woodside Park
0 - 0
15 September 2009

Kurucz

Ferrari

Daprela

Quashie

N'Gala

Da Costa

Payne

Lee (Wearen)

Nouble

Edgar

Kearns

West Ham United played out a creditable goalless Barclays Premier Reserve League South draw with an experienced Wolverhampton Wanderers. In a game of few chances played in almost incessant, driving rain, a young West Ham team held their own against an experienced Wolves side at Bishop's Stortford.

With their opponents able to call upon the likes of England Under-21 winger Michael Kightly, returning from a long-term leg injury, Wales striker Sam Vokes and Ecuador midfielder Segundo Castillo, it was always likely to be a difficult task for Dyer's men. However, it was one they stuck to manfully.

The first half was largely dominated by the visitors, who should have taken the lead through Vokes, an international colleague of Jack Collison and Danny Gabbidon, but the forward could only head Kightly's inch-perfect left-foot cross wide of Peter Kurucz's goal. Aside from that opportunity, Wolves were unable to turn their possession and territorial superiority into goals, with captain Bondz N'Gala, his central defensive partner Manuel Da Costa and right-back Davide Ferrari all making decisive interceptions inside their own penalty area.

Behind them, Kurucz was largely untroubled, but when he was called upon, the Hungary U21 stopper dealt with everything that came near to his goal competently.

PORTSMOUTH
Westleigh Park
0 - 3
29 September 2009

Kurucz

Brookes (Ferrari)

N'Gala

Eyjolfsson

Daprela

Quashie (Kearns)

Payne

Lee (Grasser)

Edgar

Montano

Nouble

REPORT:

CHELSEA
Griffin Park
1 - 4 (Nouble)
19 October 2009

Kurucz

Brookes

N'Gala

Da Costa (Kearns)

Ferrari (Zola)

Stanislas

Quashie

Payne

Montano (Dixon)

Jimenez

Nouble

Alex Dyer still managed to find some positives in defeat after watching his reserve side slide to a 4-1 defeat at Chelsea. After a relatively even first half which Chelsea edged by the single goal, the home side upped the tempo in the second, adding three more goals in a devastating 13-minute spell. Frank Nouble had the game's final say, though, when he capped off a tireless 90-minute performance with a superb goal two minutes into added time.

"Bondz N'Gala and Josh Payne both worked hard and I think Frank Nouble gave the best performance since the season started," reserve-team manager Dyer said. "His hold up play was good, he battled and he pressed the game and he deserved his goal. Apart from that it was a disappointing performance from the side."

With a two week break before the reserves return to Barclays Premier Reserve League South action with a game at Fulham, Dyer will travel with his squad to Poland for a friendly game against Arka Gdynia.

FULHAM
Motspur Park
1 - 1 (Ferrari)
3 November 2009

Stech

Ferrari

Eyjolfsson

Daprela

Brown

Wearen

Kearns

Grasser (Montano)

Edgar

Nouble (Abdulla)

Dixon (Brookes)

REPORT:

STOKE CITY
Woodside Park
5 - 2 (Dyer 2, Dixon, Kearns, Nouble)
24 November 2009

Stech

Brookes

Eyjolfsson

Daprela

Ferrari (Zola)

Kearns

Dyer (Wearen)

Payne

Edgar

Dixon

Nouble

REPORT:

BIRMINGHAM CITY
Solihull Moors FC
1 - 2 (Nouble [pen])
30 November 2009

Kurucz

Eyjolfsson

N'Gala

Daprela

Ferrari

Payne

Dyer 

Kearns

Nouble

Dixon

Edgar

A spirited second-half display was not enough to help West Ham United against a strong Birmingham side in the Barclays Premier Reserve League South encounter at Solihull Moor FC.

The Blues had gone into the contest on a high after beating Chelsea last week and took the lead on 16 minutes through Jake Jervis, who was able to score from ten yards out. A deflected Damien Johnson effort put Birmingham 2-0 up on the half-hour but Frank Nouble gave the visitors hope early in the second half. The powerful forward won a penalty with some bright play before getting up and converting the spot-kick himself but that was to be the end of the scoring.

The Hammers had their moments in the first half. Terry Dixon, partnering Nouble again after their impressive partnership in last week's 5-2 defeat of Stoke City, had the chance to equalise Jervis's effort on 23 minutes but his shot was saved by Colin Doyle. The game seemed up when Johnson tried his luck and saw his shot deflect off Bondz N'Gala, back from a loan at Scunthorpe United, beyond the helpless Peter Kurucz.

The goalkeeper had better fortune just before the interval when diving to his right to save well after a close-range Jervis effort. The home side had several players in their starting lineup with first-team experience including Franck Queudrue, Gregory Vignal, Lee Carsley and Gary McSheffrey. For the visitors, Josh Payne, Kieron Dyer and Nouble were the only players to have tasted Barclays Premier League action.

Nouble's penalty, awarded by referee Amy Rayner following a foul by Johnson, offered plenty of hope after half-time but the second goal was not forthcoming. In truth, Birmingham finished the stronger despite Alex Dyer throwing on Eoin Wearen and Cristian Montano into the attack in a bid to find an equaliser.

ARSENAL
Upton Park
2 - 4 (Sears 2 [2 pens])
12 January 2010

Stech

Ferrari

N'Gala

Spence

Daprela

Kearns

Payne (Abdulla)

Lee (Barrett)

Edgar

Montano

Sears

REPORT:

PORTSMOUTH
Woodside Park
1 - 1 (Spence)
20 January 2010

Kurucz

Spence (Brookes)

Da Costa

Daprela

Ferrari

Kearns

Lee

Payne

Edgar

Stanislas (Subuola)

Sears

REPORT:

CHELSEA
Woodside Park
2 - 1 (Edgar, Lee)
24 February 2010)

Stech

Spence

N'Gala

Da Costa

Daprela

Dyer (Wearen)

Lee

Moncur (Kearns)

Stanislas

Abdulla

Edgar (Subuola)

Alex Dyer was delighted to see the reserves grind out a 2-1 victory against Chelsea despite extremely difficult conditions at Woodside Park. Prior to the match there were concerns the Bishop's Stortford pitch would not hold up to the torrential rain across Essex but the fears proved unfounded. Goals in each half from Anthony Edgar and Olly Lee won it for the home side, who also coped well with Manuel da Costa's second-half red card for violent conduct.

"First of all, I have to give credit to Bishop's Stortford," said Dyer. "They played on the pitch the night before and it was in doubt a little bit. The groundsman has worked miracles. The boys got on the pitch and went out with the right attitude. It rained a lot and there were strong winds but the boys had the right attitude from the start.

"They got the ball down when they could. We gave them instructions that if you can't play you have got to hit the ball long and put the ball into areas where we can turn them and get up the pitch a little bit. When it was time, we got the ball down and played."

Dyer paid tribute to his namesake Kieron, who like Marek Stech, Fabio Daprela, Junior Stanislas and Da Costa had all travelled with the first team to Manchester United the night before. Chelsea gave away a lot in terms of senior experience but had the benefit of being an established unit that had come through the youth ranks. "It was a great performance all-round. The boys worked hard. It was a good performance from the senior lads who came in. Kieron played an hour and he was excellent. Fabio came in and led the team well as captain.

"It was good to see. Young George Moncur made his debut for the reserves and he was excellent in midfield as was Jordan Spence at right-back. He was breaking up and down the wing and he defended like a proper defender should do."

ARSENAL
Underhill, Barnet FC
0 - 2
22 March 2010

Kurucz

Spence

Sanchez

Brown

Lee

Wearen (Kearns)

Payne

Barrett

Ferrari (McNaughton)

Abdulla

Dixon

REPORT:

ASTON VILLA
Woodside Park
0 - 1
30 March 2010

Stech

Driver

Sanchez

Spence

Brown

Stanislas

Payne

Lee (Wearen)

Ferrari

Abdulla (Montano)

Dixon

REPORT:

STOKE CITY
Weaver Stadium
0 - 0
6 April 2010

Stech

Driver

Sanchez

Spence

McNaughton

Ferrari

Lee

Payne

Edgar

Montano (Subuola)

Dixon (Abdulla)

REPORT:

WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS
New Bucks Head
1 - 4 (Sanchez)
13 April 2010

Kurucz

Driver

Sanchez

Spence

McNaughton

Brown

Lee (Barrett)

Payne

Boa Morte (Edgar)

Montano

Dixon (Wearen)

REPORT:

FULHAM
Upton Park
3 - 2 (Lee, Montano, Stanislas)
27 April 2010

Kurucz

Lee

Daprela (Zola A.)

McNaughton

Spence

Brown

Stanislas

Payne

Boa Morte (Edgar)

Abdulla

McCarthy (Montano)

REPORT:

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