Pre-season friendly
Bishop's Stortford v West Ham United XI
Woodside Park
Wednesday 5 August 2009
7.30pm
Referee: Chris O'Donnell
Final score - Bishop's Stortford 1-0 West Ham United XI
Alex Dyer will come away from tonight's game knowing he has some things to work on before the new season but, equally, the reserve team manager will know he still has four weeks until his team open their Barclays Premier Reserve League South campaign.
Full marks to Bishop's Stortford, who played some neat football and withstood West Ham's second half performance to nick a late winner.
92 mins - Edgar cuts inside from the right and shoots from long-range, but his effort is straight at Eyre, who stops the ball with ease. Seconds later, the final whistle is blown to cheers from the home supporters.
91 mins - We're into time added on for stoppages. We've had a shed load of substitutions, so there could be a couple of extra minutes.
90 mins - We're into the final minute of the 90 and Hines forces Eyre into a fine save with a snapshot on the turn. The goalkeeper did well to turn the ball aside at the near post. The resulting corner is deep, but 'Gala is penalised for a foul. Is that West Ham's last chance gone?
88 mins - I doubt there is going to be a lot of added-time, so West Ham are going to have to hit back very quickly. They are trying their best, forcing a throw-in deep inside the home half.
87 mins - GOAL! Substitute Jackman heads the ball in at the near-post from Wright's corner to give the ten-men the lead. Angus comes on for Goodacre straight after the goal.
86 mins - It actually looks like the hosts want to bring on another replacement, but he's not ready yet. I can see him pulling on his red shorts. Meanwhile, Zola slides in to concede a corner. Before they take it,
84 mins - Stortford are down to ten men for the remainder of the game as No5 Goodacre has been forced off with an injury.
83 mins - The impressive goes on a slalom run through the West Ham defence, dancing around two challenges before finally being crowded out. He looks like a decent player, the Stortford No7. Meanwhile, the star names are slowly disappearing into the night. Sheringham and Lambert have both headed home, as have Stimson and Robson.
81 mins - We're into the closing stages here at Woodside Park and neither side looks like breaking the deadlock. West Ham have definitely improved since the break, but they have seldom threatened Eyre's goal. Encouragingly, however, the Hammers have not really looked like conceding either.
79 mins - Adam Bolle replaces Stortford striker McKenzie for the final eleven minutes.
78 mins - Edgar loses the ball to Jackman. The substitute skips past Payne, who cynically pulls him back, earning a stern ticking off from the referee. The resulting free-kick comes to nothing.
76 mins - Kurucz is out bravely to dive at the feet of Jackman. That was a decent chance for Stortford, who had three men in advanced positions against only two defenders.
74 mins - A sixth change for West Ham. Savio is the man to be replaced, with Hungarian Matyas Magos the man to join the fray.
70 mins - Another change for the home team as Richard Priest replaces Ben Bowditch.
67 mins - Stortford win a corner off 'Gala. Before it is taken, Ben Nunn replaces right-back Jones. Seconds later, Jackman has a dip and Spence deflects the ball over the crossbar and out of the stadium. The England U19 defender gets a pat on the back from Kurucz for his bravery.
66 mins - Zola switches the play to Payne, who passes on to Kearns, who cuts inside before finding Edgar. The forward has a go from long-range, but Eyre gathers.
65 mins - Kearns and Zola have both looked good since coming on, while Payne has picked up his game since the interval and is now dictating things in the midfield. All West Ham need is a goal as reward for their efforts.
63 mins - West Ham have really picked their collective game up here. Kearns comes close again, but Eyre palms aside his well-struck shot from the left edge of the area. Stortford make a second change, replacing Nicholls with No18 Reece Prestedge.
62 mins - Kearns nearly completes a superb move involving Zola and Savio, but he cannot beat Wright. Moments later, Savio fizzes a low shot in from 25 yards, but it is too close to Eyre.
59 mins - That was Sheringham's last involvement as he is replaced by Duane Jackman. Tonight's attendance is 751.
58 mins - A superb header from Zola clears the danger from under his own crossbar after Sheringham had fed Harris and the midfielder had driven the ball into the six-yard box.
55 mins - A decent chance for Harris, but Savio works back well and half-blocks the midfielder's effort and Kurucz gathers. The pace of the game has really picked up here. West Ham break, but Hines cannot beat Eyre from a narrow angle. The changes have certainly livened things up.
53 mins - A quick throw from Kurucz finds Hines, who flicks the ball to Savio. The winger repays the favour, but Hines can only divert his shot narrowly over the top.
52 mins - Zola lifts a lovely pass over the Stortford defence for Hines, but the striker's shot bends just wide of the far post.
49 mins - Zola is at left-back, with Spence and 'Gala in the centre of defence and Brookes on the right. The midfield three are Kearns, Payne and Grasser, with Edgar, Hines and Savio up front.
46 mins - Five changes for West Ham at the break. Fry, Eyjolfsson, Lee, Quashie and Nouble are the men to go off, with Zola, Brookes, Grasser, Kearns and Edgar the replacements.
Half-time - Bishop's Stortford 0-0 West Ham United XI
46 mins - We're into added-time and referee O'Donnell blows the whistle after just 15 seconds.
44 mins - Into the final minute of the half and nothing much is happening so far. Will Alex Dyer be tempted to make any changes at half-time? West Ham will certainly need to improve if they are going to score a victory this evening.
41 mins - Nearly a superb goal from the home side. Eyre's drilled clearance was flicked on acrobatically by Nicholls to McKenzie, who laid the ball back into the winger's path, but his pass was just too strong and 'Gala was able to clear.
40 mins - Jones curls in a delicious cross from the right touchline that has Kurucz rushing to gather, which he does at the second attempt.
38 mins - Good football from Quashie, Nouble and Spence ends with Hines forcing another corner. Savio takes the kick but it is too short and easily headed out for a throw-in.
37 mins - Close! Danny Harris outjumps his marker, but can only head Wright's near-post cross wide of the target.
36 mins - This stadium is a plane-spotter's paradise, being situated right next to Stansted Airport.
35 mins - The young central defensive pairing of 'Gala and Eyjolfsson have looked fairly comfortable so far. While the home side have kept the ball fairly well, they have not created a huge amount.
34 mins - Savio gives the ball away and slides in to win it back, but his tackle catches Jones.
32 mins - To be fair to Stortford, they've more than held their own here. Things are shaping up nicely for them ahead of their league campaign.
29 mins - West Ham are definitely seeing more of the ball now, with the experienced Quashie controlling the game to some extent. However, the front three need to show more movement if they are going to breach the home rearguard.
27 mins - Quashie finds Hines with a lovely lofted pass. The Jamaican picks the ball up and looks up, but his cross is too far in front of both Nouble and Payne. Hines and Savio have switched back again, with Savio on the left.
23 mins - Sheringham shoots from 25 yards, but his low effort is easily gathered by the diving Kurucz.
22 mins - A quick throw-in from Spence finds Nouble, who uses his strength to turn away from Paul Goodacre. He feigns to shoot twice before curling a shot that flies high and wide of the far post. Good effort, though, from the new signing from Chelsea.
20 mins - A neat bit of skills takes Harris past Fry, but his cross is too close to Kurucz. Savio immediately breaks and wins a corner, which is headed clear.
18 mins - Hines goes down in the box under a challenge from Jones, but the referee waves away his protests and gives a goal kick. We're still waiting for the first real chance here nearly 20 minutes in.
17 mins - Savio and Hines have swapped flanks in an effort to find an opening. Savio looks especially fetching in his bright blue boots. Stortford nearly create a decent chance, but Danny Harris' header is too far in front of McKenzie and Eyjolfsson is able to poke the ball back to Kurucz.
15 mins - The Hammers are playing some neat keep-ball but it is all inside their own half. Quashie, Lee and Payne are working hard to find some space, but Stortford are matching them for effort and closing down the space well.
14 mins - West Ham are beginning to settle here. Fry curls a pass down the left flank for Savio to chase. Jones appears to knock the ball out for a corner, but the referee gives a goal kick.
12 mins - Savio finds Hines wide on the right with a beautiful ball with the outside of his left foot, but the Jamaican squanders possession.
11 mins - Alex Dyer is standing at the side of his dugout barking out instructions to his players. He always has a real purpose about him, the reserve team manager.
8 mins - The home side can certainly play a bit. A neat passing move involving left-back Mark Wright and Ashley Nicholls is only ended by the alert Jordan Spence. West Ham are struggling to maintain possession here. Another dangerous cross is hacked clear by 'Gala.
7 mins - Stortford come forward again like a big red wave, but the final ball is in front of McKenzie and curls out for a goal kick.
5 mins - It's like a who's who here at Woodside Park. Here's Teddy Sheringham! On the pitch, Savio wins the game's first corner. The German takes, but Lai Bass Lette Jallow heads clear. Is that the best name in football? Probably.
4 mins - Two famous Marks enter the stand in former Hammer Robson and Gillingham manager Stimson. Both arrive just in time to see Ben Bowditch sidefoot the ball narrowly over from 20 yards following a good build-up from the hosts.
2 mins - West Ham force a succession of throw-ins down the right flank before working the ball to the far side of the pitch where Savio skips around a tackle before being denied by goalkeeper Eyre.
1 min - Bang on time, we're off and running as Bishop's Stortford kick-off.
7.28pm - West Ham are in their new away kit, while Stortford are in all red. The Hammers go through a few last-minute exercises before kick-off. It's obviously the night for Wycombe managers past and present here tonight as Paul Lambert has joined Taylor in the stand. The former UEFA Champions League winner is now manager of League One Colchester United.
7.26pm - The floodlights have been switched on here, but it's a nice bright evening, so they will not come into effect until the second half, I shouldn't think. West Ham's substitutes are heading for the bench and here come the two teams.
7.23pm - Former England winger and caretaker manager Peter Taylor is also in the stands. I wonder which West Ham players he is interested in taking on loan to League One new boys Wycombe Wanderers.
7.21pm - West Ham's players head back for the away dressing room. Savio and Quashie sign a couple of autographs before heading down the tunnel. Zola and Nani are taking their seats in the Directors Box.
7.15pm - It is a very pleasant evening here on the Essex/Hertfordshire border. Both sets of players are out warming up on what looks like a very good playing surface. A few big names have turned out to watch proceedings, with technical director Gianluca Nani and manager Gianfranco Zola among those in attendance.
Good evening and welcome to a warm and sunny Woodside Park, home of Bishop's Stortford and the venue for West Ham United's Barclays Premier Reserve League South home fixtures this coming season.
West Ham have named a strong team for tonight's reserve team friendly at Bishop's Stortford. Savio, Frank Nouble and Zavon Hines will form a potent attacking trio, while Scotland international Nigel Quashie will captain the side from the centre of midfield.
Hungary Under-21 goalkeeper Peter Kurucz will be between the sticks, with Jordan Spence, Matt Fry, Holmar Orn Eyjolfsson and Bondz 'Gala in front of him. Quashie's midfield colleagues will be Olly Lee and Josh Payne.
For Bishop's Stortford, who begin their Blue Square South campaign with the visit of Newport County on Saturday, field former Hammer Teddy Sheringham's son Charlie up front. Among the hosts' substitutes is Stevland Angus, who won the FA Youth Cup with West Ham in 1999.
West Ham United XI: Kurucz, Spence, Eyjolfsson (Brookes 46), 'Gala, Fry (Zola 46), Lee (Kearns 46), Quashie (Grasser 46), Payne, Hines, Nouble (Edgar 46), Savio (Magos 74)
Subs: Stech
Bishop's Stortford: Eyre, Jones (Nunn 67), Wright, Lette Jallow, Goodacre (Angus 87), Champion, Harris, Bowditch (Priest 70), McKenzie (Bolle 79), Sheringham (Jackman 59), Nicholls (Prestedge 63)
Subs: Hussein, Jones