Highlights & Reaction | U21s dig deep to see out win at Leeds

Leeds United U21s 1-2 West Ham United U21s
Premier League 2, LNER Stadium, Monday 27 January 2025, 7pm GMT

West Ham United U21s secured a 2-1 victory over Leeds United at LNER Stadium in York on Monday evening, a result that lifts the young Hammers up to seventh in the Premier League 2 standings with at least a game in hand on the teams around them.

After building a healthy lead thanks to goals from Kamarai Swyer and Sean Moore in the first half-an-hour, the U21s were made to sweat after a well-taken goal from Cian Coleman shortly after half-time put the hosts within one. The young Hammers defence held firm, withstanding intense pressure to see out the win and move six points clear of the play-off cut-off point.

West Ham wasted no time in asserting themselves from the outset, winning an early free-kick after Junior Robinson was fouled. Although Swyer’s header sailed over from Regan Clayton's delivery, it set the tone for a high-tempo first half. Just minutes later, Preston Fearon launched a counterattack that saw Swyer and Moore go two-on-one against Jeremiah Mullen, but the Leeds centre-half kept his composure to snuff out the danger.

The breakthrough followed shortly after, with Moore’s high pressing forcing Mullen into an error. The winger punished, stealing possession and squaring the ball to Swyer, who made no mistake in slotting home to give the Hammers an early lead.

Moore 🤝 Swyer pic.twitter.com/VOHPGDwqC7

— West Ham United (@WestHam) January 27, 2025

West Ham's dominance continued as Moore and Lewis Orford combined effectively in the final third. Orford came close to doubling the advantage, but his effort drifted narrowly wide. Moments later, Leeds threatened on the counter, only for goalkeeper Fin Herrick to produce a crucial save from Harry Gray to preserve the lead.

The young Hammers’ second goal, a moment of real quality, arrived in the 29th minute. Ezra Mayers’ incisive forward pass found Emeka Adiele, who held off his marker before involving Fearon who nutmegged his opponent and returned the ball to Adiele. The attack appeared stifled, but Moore arrived on the scene, volleying the loose ball emphatically into the top corner to extend the lead.

A left-footed rocket from Sean Moore ☄️ pic.twitter.com/Ng94OGo2Y9

— West Ham United (@WestHam) January 27, 2025

Having built their two-goal cushion, West Ham continued to push forward. Captain Kaelan Casey and Moore both came close to adding a third, but Leeds goalkeeper Rory Mahady produced a series of fine saves to keep his team in contention heading into half-time. 

The hosts emerged from the break with purpose, and their persistence was rewarded in the 52nd minute. A clever pass from Leeds captain Alfie Cresswell released Coleman, who cut inside before curling a superb effort beyond Herrick's reach to halve the deficit. Leeds continued piling on the pressure, but the Hammers’ defence, bolstered by substitute Airidas Golambeckis who made a number of crucial interventions, stood firm.


As the match wore on, West Ham regained control. Orford, Fearon, and Moore continued to threaten on the counter, with Moore forcing another fine save from Mahady late on. At the other end, Herrick remained composed, making key stops to deny Leeds an equaliser during a high-intensity closing period. The five minutes of stoppage time tested the Hammers' mettle, but their disciplined shape at the back saw them weather the storm.

The final whistle confirmed a vital three points and a hard-earned victory on the road in Yorkshire. 
The result lifts the young Hammers into the Premier League 2 top seven, and they could climb as high as fourth by the next matchweek with a victory in their next game in hand, a Friday evening clash at home to Stoke City.

Leeds U21s: Mahady, Richard, Ferguson (Lopata-White 83), Monteiro, Debayo (McFadden 55), Mullen, McDonald (Douglas 61), Cresswell ©, Gray (Trialist 61), Coleman, Chadwick
Subs not used: Ombang (GK)

Goal: Coleman 52

Booked: McDonald, Ferguson, Lopata-White, Coleman

West Ham United U21s: Herrick, Casey © Luizão, Mayers, Robinson, Orford, Fearon, Clayton (Golambeckis 60), Moore (Akpata 90+1), Adiele (Rigge 80) Swyer
Subs not used: Awesu (GK), Dolaghan

Goals: Swyer 7, Moore 29

Booked: Casey, Robinson

Robson: We started the game really well

Securing their second league win in a row, lead coach Mark Robson reflected on the team's efforts and the influence of first-team youngsters Kaelan Casey and Lewis Orford.

“We started the game really well tonight. Having Kaelan [Casey] and Lew [Orford] back with us after being involved with the first team was a big boost for the boys. They got some really important match minutes and it gave the group a big lift.

“As a group, we looked confident early on. Credit to coach Steve [Potts] and the work around defending, we pressed excellently from the front, made it really hard for them to play, and limited their chances to break us down or get in behind. The only disappointment is that we didn’t put the game to bed when we had the opportunities. We created enough good moments but made the wrong decisions at times. When we did make the right decisions, we scored two fantastic goals.

“In the second half, we had to dig in. They put us under a lot of pressure by going more direct and playing longer balls. I felt our game management in the first half could have been better, but it’s something we’ll continue to work on. But credit to the boys, we saw the game out well in the end.”

Reflecting on the importance of competitive minutes for Casey and Orford, who have been transitioning to the first-team environment and were on the bench for the men’s Premier League draw away at Aston Villa just a day before, Robson continued: “Getting 90 minutes under their belts is massive. The intensity in first-team training has helped them improve. These games are crucial for them to keep their match sharpness as high as possible. They made the most of it tonight, which was great to see.”

Casey: The boys stuck together and got the job done

Returning to U21 action fresh from Premier League duties, Casey captained the side, leading with a solid defensive performance to secure a hard-fought three points.

The centre-back said: “It was great to get the win, but on a personal note, it felt good to be back out there with the boys. We had to work really hard for those three points.

“We could have scored a lot more in the first half, but in the second half, it was one of those games where we had to hang on. The boys defended brilliantly, stuck together, and got the job done.”

On balancing first-team duties with competitive minutes in the development squad, Casey concluded: “It’s so good to be involved with the first-team set-up, they’re all role models, and that’s where I want to be. But it’s also really important to get match minutes and keep myself in the best possible shape. Nights like this help me do that.”

Up Next...

The young Hammers return to action on Friday 31 January to play Stoke City U21s at Rush Green Stadium, one of their two games in hand in Premier League 2.

Premier League 2