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WEST HAM UNITED
theyflysohigh : Steve Marsh
FOOTBALL PROGRAMMES &
Collectables through the Decade
A Pictorial History
2024-25 Premier League 2
Manager: Mark Robson : Coaches Steve Potts and Gerard Prenderville
The Professional Development League 2 is Under-21 football's second tier, designed for those academies with Category 2 status. The league is split regionally into north and south divisions, with each team facing opponents in their own region twice both home and away and opponents in the other region once resulting in 31 games played. The sides finishing in the top two positions in both regions at the end of the season will progress to a knockout stage to determine the overall league champion. Sheffield United are the defending champions.
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BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION
Amex Elite Performance Centre
2 - 0 (Adiele, Moore)
16 August 2024
Herrick
Robinson
Mayers
Akpata
Casey
Luizao
Moore (Battrum)
Orford
Ajala (Adiele)
Simon-Swyer
Scarles
West Ham United U21s opened their Premier League 2 campaign with a well-earned victory over Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex Elite Performance Centre.
The young Hammers displayed resilience and composure, handling Brighton's high press effectively, maintaining possession, and creating quality chances while limiting their opponents' opportunities.
Sean Moore’s first-half strike from a West Ham corner set the Irons on their way. However, a second bookable offence for Junior Robinson with half-an-hour remaining set up a nervy finish for the U21s. Despite being down to ten men, West Ham stayed compact at the back and remained dangerous on the counter-attack.
Their disciplined defending paid off in stoppage time. After stealing possession on the edge of his own penalty box, Lewis Orford set Emeka Adiele free with a precise pass. Adiele outpaced Brighton’s centre-backs and found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper, calmly slotting home to seal all three points with his first Premier League 2 goal.
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READING : Bristol Street Motors (Group P)
Madejeski Stadium
1 - 3 (Dean [og])
20 August 2024
Herrick
Robinson (Dolaghan)
Mayers
Akpata
Casey
Luizao
Moore (Battrum)
Orford
Ajala (Adiele)
Simon-Swyer
Scarles
West Ham United’s U21s kicked off their Bristol Street Motors Trophy campaign with a spirited performance against League One side Reading at the Madejski Stadium. Despite their determined efforts, the young Hammers were defeated 3-1.
The match began with Reading capitalising on their early momentum, as Jayden Wareham put the Royals ahead. Fifteen minutes later, Kelvin Abreva doubled their lead with a powerful, low shot that found its way past Finlay Herrick in the West Ham goal.
Undeterred, the Hammers fought back and got themselves on the scoresheet when Junior Robinson’s deflected cross snuck in at the near post, catching out Reading's goalkeeper Coniah Boyce-Clarke.
West Ham came out for the second half with renewed energy, applying a more effective press that limited Reading’s chances to break through the lines. The young Hammers had opportunities to level the match but, unfortunately, were unable to convert them. Reading secured all three points five minutes from time when substitute Tyler Sackey finished neatly to seal the victory.
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SOUTHAMPTON
Rush Green
5 - 1 (Ajala 2, Scarles 2, Moore)
23 August 2024
Herrick
Battrum
Mayers
Scarles
Casey (Tarima)
Luizao
Moore
Orford
Ajala (Rigge)
Simon-Swyer (Dolaghan)
Adiele (Akpata)
West Ham United U21s delivered an emphatic performance in their first home game of the season, overpowering Southampton U21s 5-1, surging to the top of the Premier League 2 table.
The Hammers were clinical in their finishing and put in a solid defensive play, securing their second consecutive win in style. West Ham who seized the initiative in the eighth minute when Ollie Scarles opened the scoring. A pinpoint long ball from Lewis Orford found Kamarai Swyer on the wing, who worked the ball inside to Scarles, who made no mistake, calmly slotting the ball into the bottom corner to put his side ahead.
Southampton thought they had equalised ten minutes later, only to be denied by the linesman’s offside flag. This proved to be a turning point, as West Ham began to assert more control over the game. Five minutes from half-time, Moore found the back of the net. Winning possession in midfield, West Ham broke quickly, with Swyer threading a pass to Orford, who navigated his way through the Southampton defence before laying it off to Moore. The forward finished with authority, scoring his second goal in as many games to give West Ham a comfortable 2-0 lead going into the interval.
The young Hammers came out strong in the second half, quickly adding a third goal in the 52nd minute. Scarles, involved once again, played a brilliant pass that split the Southampton defense, allowing Josh Ajala to race through on goal. Ajala kept his composure and slotted home to put the Hammers firmly in control. Just two minutes later, Ajala was at the double, embarking on a dazzling solo run past three defenders before finishing coolly to make it 4-0.
Although Southampton captain Joe O'Brien-Whitmarsh pulled one back in the 69th minute, West Ham remained untroubled. They sealed victory five minutes from time when Scarles netted his second of the game, following a well-executed counter-attack initiated by substitute Tyron Akpata.
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NORWICH CITY
Rush Green
1 - 0 (Ajala)
30 August 2024
Herrick
Robinson
Mayers
Akpata (Tarima)
Battrum
Luizao
Moore
Orford
Ajala
Simon-Swyer
Adiele
West Ham United U21s claimed a narrow 1-0 victory over Norwich City at Rush Green Stadium thanks to a second-half effort from Josh Ajala, maintaining their perfect start to the season with three wins from three games going into the international break.
The match began with West Ham pressing high up the pitch, nearly capitalising on an early mistake by Norwich goalkeeper Caleb Ansen. Kamarai Swyer's clever interception set up Lewis Orford for a shot from the edge of the box, but his effort sailed just over the bar. The Hammers continued to apply pressure, with Sean Moore and Swyer both coming close to breaking the deadlock, but neither able to guide their efforts on target.
Norwich gradually grew into the game, and as the first half wore on, they began to create chances of their own. Finlay Herrick produced a crucial save to deny Daniel Ogwuru's powerful header, keeping the score level as the visitors pushed for an opener. Despite Norwich's late surge before half-time, the teams went into the break still deadlocked.
West Ham emerged from the interval with renewed energy. Luizão nearly opened the scoring with a towering header that narrowly missed the far post. The breakthrough finally came in the 63rd minute when Orford won the ball deep in Norwich's half. His cross found Swyer, whose blocked effort was retrieved by Ajala. Despite calls for offside, the flag stayed down, and Ajala calmly slotted home from close range to give the Hammers a vital lead.
Norwich pressed hard for an equaliser in the final minutes, forcing West Ham to defend resolutely, seeing out the game to earn all three points.
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