Grimsby Town U18s 1-0 West Ham United U18s
FA Youth Cup Third Round, Blundell Park, Friday 6 December 2024, 7pm GMT

West Ham United U18s saw their FA Youth Cup campaign come to a disappointing early end, falling 1-0 to Grimsby Town U18s in the third round at Blundell Park. A resolute and disciplined display from the League Two academy side proved too much for the young Hammers, whose best efforts to break down their opposition ultimately came up short.

Lauris Coggin’s side began the game with promise, controlling possession and looking to dictate the tempo. Some early deliveries from set-pieces and Emeka Adiele’s tricky footwork tested the Grimsby defence, but the young Mariners held firm.

Content to sit deep and frustrate their Premier League opponents, Grimsby struck on 38 minutes, when Grayson Giles scored the opener with an accurate header. A quickly taken throw-in down the left wing, following a Seb Auton long ball, led to a well-placed cross, and Giles capitalised on a lapse in the West Ham defence, sneaking between Airidas Golambeckis and Rayan Oyebade, to nod home the opener at the near post.

The young Hammers pushed for an equaliser either side of half-time but were met with a well-organised and resolute Grimsby backline. Ezra Mayers’ header from a Preston Fearon free-kick went wide and Josh Ajala’s effort under pressure in the six-yard box soared agonisingly over the bar. Gabriel Caliste, one-on-one with Auton in the 65th minute, had West Ham’s clearest chance of the night but fired straight at the Grimsby shot-stopper.

As the minutes ticked down, the Hammers’ pressure intensified. Elisha Sowunmi’s trickery around the penalty area nearly earned his side an equaliser, but his late effort was saved comfortably. Despite earning a flurry of corners in the final stages, West Ham struggled to penetrate Grimsby’s packed penalty area.

Coggin’s team, who had been unbeaten since September, were ultimately undone by a clinical Grimsby side who made the most of their limited chances and defended their narrow lead with determination.

The result sees the Mariners progress to the fourth round of the competition for the second consecutive year at the expense of a Category One academy, having beaten Nottingham Forest at the same stage last season.

Reflecting on the defeat, the young Hammers will now turn their attention back to Premier League South action, with a trip to Motspur Park to face Fulham next Saturday.

Grimsby Town U18s: Auton, Storr, Graham, Foy, Axcell, Hatton, Collins, Smith, Giles, Brown ©, Rennardson (Jalloh 80)
Subs not used: Rogers (GK), Midwinter, Foster, Carrick, Onoh, Booth

Goal: Giles 38

Booked: Collins, Rennardson

West Ham United U18s: Hooper, Medine, Mayers, Golambeckis, Oyebade, Nwosu (Kamara 79) Fearon ©, Sowunmi, Ajala, Caliste (Balogun 75), Adiele

Subs not used: Awesu (GK), Hargan, Beckford, Unwin, Peychev

Booked: Nwosu