West Ham United U21s cruised to a 2-0 win over Sunderland as Premier League 2 returned to Rush Green training ground on Friday evening. An emphatic, dominant, performance saw the Irons quickly out of the traps, determined to put last week’s defeat behind them. A feat they achieved clinically within 17 minutes. A bright start saw two quick goals, with Callum Marshall first turning home a Dan Chesters’ cross from inside the area, for his and his side's first goal of the PL2 season.

Luizão then tapped in from close range after a well-worked corner fell at the Brazil defender’s feet to double his side’s lead from inside the six-yard box. From then on the chances kept coming the way of those in Claret and Blue – and, in truth, most will leave disappointed the Hammers did not grab a third or even a fourth. In the first half, Divin Mubama had the ball in the net for a third when he converted George Earthy’s cross, although he was flagged offside.

The second half was a similar feat too. Hammers flooded forwards in search of a third and had plenty of chances to net one. Earthy blazed over after Chesters' neat run and cross. Conor Coventry and Mubama both saw free kicks sail over the bar. Marshall saw his dipping effort fade wide of the post.

Substitutes too went close. Gideon Kodua was quickly into the action and sent racing down the line onto Luizão’s whipped pass, where Mubama then struck over, and then later saw his effort deflect wide.

The Hammers No9 continued to search for a goal and would have turned Scarles’ cross into the net but for a stunning stop from Sunderland stopper Matthew Young. Sunderland would have pulled a way back into the fixture had Keenan Appiah-Forson not found a crucial late tackle, but the Hammers deserved the three points – and arguably, with 24 goal attempts to their name, another goal or two for their performance in east London.