WEST Ham United went out of the FA Youth Cup at the Fourth Round
stage, losing 4-2 to Manchester City at Upton Park.
It was a first-half blitz from the visitors that put pay of Hammers
chances of progressing, with four goals in the opening half hour.
Hammers fell behind after only six minutes when a faint from Kelvin
Etuhu allowed him to power away from Liam White and burst towards
the West Ham penalty area.
James Tomkins tried to come across, but Etuhu broke his tackle
before firing low past Eren Kemal to put Manchester City 1-0 in
front.
And with Hammers reeling it was just four minutes later when Etuhu
made it 2-0. West Ham were unlucky to concede a free-kick just
inside their own half, but when the ball was pumped into the home
side's box Micah Richards won a good header against Tomkins and
the ball fell to Etuhu.
The powerful striker did well to bring the ball down and with his
next touched fired across Kemal into the far corner of the net to
double City's advantage.
City then went 3-0 up on 13 minutes when a deep cross from
Ashley Williams fell to his fellow winger on the opposite flank
Karl Moore and he brought the ball down on his chest before
volleying past Kemal from eight yards.
Hammers were desperately unlucky not to pull a goal back on 18
minutes through a wonderful piece of invention from Hogan Ephraim,
the England forward flicking the ball up all of 25 yards out before
hooking in a long-range effort that had Laurence Matthewson in the
City goal well beaten before crashing back off the crossbar.
Zavon Hines was following up, but even though he headed against the
post his effort would have been ruled out for offisde.
With Hammers finding some spark in attack David Cowley then drilled
wide from 12 yards out.
Hammers looked to be getting back into the game, until City made it
4-0 on the half hour mark. Again it was from a long free-kick into
the Hammers penalty area, the ball was flicked on and Daniel
Sturridge worked loose from his marker to poke the ball underneath
Kemal.
Etuhu then forced a smart block down low from Kemal, just after
Paul Marshall curled a wonderful 20 yard free-kick against the base
of the post.
City were piling on the pressure, but Hammers were throwing bodies
in the way in a desperate rear-guard action, as the half ended with
City in control, leading 4-0.
HT: 0-4
The start to the second-half saw Hammers still unable to get a
foot-hold in the game, and it was not long before Jack Collison was
introduced in place of David Cowley.
Kemal then did well to punch clear under pressure and recover
quickly to block a long-range follow up volley from Karl Moore.
Approaching the hour mark a long range drive from Lee Hales was
comfortably dealt with by Matthewson.
On 67 minutes Jack Jeffery replaced Kyel Reid, who had been
struggling with an injury going into the game. City were also
making use of their bench, introducing Ched Evans for scorer Daniel
Sturridge and Clayton McDonald for skipper Micah Richards.
Hammers enjoyed more of the possession during the second-half, but
struggled to break down a well-organised City defence. Hines did
test Matthewson with a low shot and the effort from the home team
to take at least some consolation from the game was admirable.
And they got it with six minutes left when Hogan Ephraim jinked his
way into the box only to be stopped by some shirt pulling by a City
defender.
The referee immediately pointed to the spot and up stepped Ephraim
to crash an unstoppable penalty past Matthewson to make it 4-1.
Soon after an excellent ball from substitute Tom Harvey deep on the
right only needed a touch as it dived across the City penalty area.
But at the other end City also went close towards the end Michael
Johnson crashing a wonderful drive from almost 30 yards onto the
top of the crossbar.
There was to be more joy for Hammers before the final whistle,
Ishmael Welsh with the goal of the night to make it 4-2. The winger
received the ball from Harvey and from all of 30 yards unleashed a
magnificent drive that took a deflection as it flew past Matthewson
and into the net.
It was a terrific finish to the game for the Hammers, and no more
than they deserved for a second-half performance full of character
and effort. But it was to be Manchester City's match on the
night, 4-2 winners.
WHU: Kemal; Andrews, Widdowson, White, Tomkins, Hales (Harvey 82),
Welsh, Cowley (Collison 54), Hines, Ephraim, Reid (Jeffery 67).
Subs unused: Blackmore (GK), Spence.
Booked: Hales 31, Tomkins 33
Scorers: Ephraim 84, Welsh 91
Man City: Matthewson; Obeng, Logan, Williamson, Richards (McDonald
72), Marshall, Williams, Johnson, Etuhu, Sturridge (Evans 65),
Moore. Subs unused: Vadon (GK), Evans, Breen.
Booked: Logan 79, Johnson 92
Scorers: Etuhu 7, 10; Moore 13; Sturridge 30
Hammers Beaten By City's Slick First-half
19th December 2005