Alex Dyer has declared West Ham United reserves trip to Poland an unqualified success on and off the pitch.
The Hammers, who fielded a starting XI containing no fewer than nine teenagers, stormed into a 2-0 lead against hosts Arka Gdynia through goals from Terry Dixon and Switzerland Under-19 defender Fabio Daprela.
Arka, who sit eleventh in Poland's top-flight, named a strong team for the specially-arranged friendly fixture, which was held to mark the club's 80th birthday and the 30th anniversary of their one and only Polish Cup win in 1979.
However, it was only when both managers made a series of substitutions in the closing stages that the home side's greater experience enabled them to fight back and level the score at 2-2 late on.
Dyer said he, his staff and his players had thoroughly enjoyed their three-day stay in Eastern Pomerania. "We came away on Monday and everything we have experienced has been good," said the reserve-team manager. "The people out here have looked after us and the game itself was good.
"We made a few changes by the end of the game but, before that, the young boys did very well. They have come over and done West Ham United proud.
"It was a hard game but they did well. There was a good crowd of around 5,000 in the ground and the atmosphere was different from anything many of them have experienced before."
Dyer was pleased with his whole squad, with Dixon catching the eye with a neatly taken goal on what was his longest run-out for West Ham since his recovery from a long-term knee injury. "Terry did well. He played for an hour or so and he took his goal very well, so I was pleased. His football was very controlled and it was nice to see him play for so long.
"As a group, the lads came out here with the right approach and they wanted to do well, which they did."
Dyer concluded by suggesting that the trip to Gdynia could become a regular fixture for his reserve squad. "I said in the press conference after the game that we had thoroughly enjoyed every minute we had spent in Poland. Maybe we can come out here regularly. It was a nice. We needed some confidence and a lot of the lads will have taken that from this trip. We'd love to come back if we get the chance."