THURROCK FC v WEST HAM UNITED XI
DEVELOPMENT SQUAD MATCH
TUESDAY 4 OCTOBER 2011
KICK-OFF: 7.45PM
Full time - Thurrock 0-2 West Ham XI
90 mins - No added time will be played. The referee blows his whistle and both teams get a good hand. Stay close to whufc.com and West Ham TV for all the reaction and action.
89 mins - Late corner here for Thurrock. Montenegro clears brilliantly at the near post. The Paraguayan has done his job well tonight.
88 mins - Moncur takes it but flashes it high and wide.
86 mins - The livewire Elliot Lee wins a free-kick 25 yards out. Moncur will take it but Lee is receiving some treatment first.
85 mins - Dean Cracknell nearly gets clear but Driver comes inside to help out his central defenders. West Ham counter and superb skill from Elliot Lee helps set them away. It all comes to nothing, though.
83 mins - Montenegro wins a corner. Lletget takes but Terry heads clear. Siafa plays it back in but Thurrock get it away again. Jake Young then does well stepping into midfield. Still the Hammers probe.
81 mins - Siafa heads clear but the ball comes straight back in and Thurrock substitute Reece Morgan just lashes over on the volley. He will feel he should have scored that.
80 mins - Elliot Lee just heads wide after a lovely cross from the right wing by Turgott. Another Thurrock change. Will try and tell you who it is shortly.
78 mins - Montenegro would love to get on the score-sheet. He hasn't stopped running. Elliot Lee goes close with a fizzed effort. The young striker doesn't need an invitation to shoot, that's for sure.
76 mins - Can Thurrock come back and get a goal. At the moment, the Hammers look hungrier. Lletget is fouled again but the referee waves play on.
75 mins - Lletget has deserved that. He may be up against older heads in midfield but he has kept on going. He uses the ball well and has plenty of vision. He started and finished that move in style.
74 mins - GOAL! - Lletget holds off Terry in midfield before feeding Moncur. The skipper finds Elliot Lee to the left of goal. The young forward beats two before feeding Lletget and the American slots in from 15 yards. Great finish.
73 mins - Driver is back up and the Hammers break through Sadlier.
71 mins - Driver is down with cramp. The right-back has been up and down that flank all game and is feeling the effects.
70 mins - Montenegro does well to the right of goal before hooking the ball into the area. It finds Lletget but he cannot direct his shot on target.
68 mins - The contest has suffered a little for all the changes but is still watchable. The Hammers youngsters are getting a good test, with Thurrock getting plenty of men behind the ball. Turgott drives into the area and plays a pass to Moncur. He is crowded out and the visitors have to build again. They do just that and Elliot Lee has a go from 20 yards. Hughes was never troubled in making that save.
65 mins - The corner comes to nothing and the referee spots a home infringement in the area. West Ham can clear their lines.
65 mins - Lletget goes down under a heavy challenge. Thurrock are still up for this and Okojie wins a corner.
63 mins - Right-back Siafa does well to deny Osborn. The Thurrock striker picks it up again in-field and goes for goal but it never worries Kurucz.
61 mins - We now have virtually an Academy team in action, or even younger. Kurucz, Driver, Moncur, Lletget and Montenegro all remain. The Hammers are on top and Sadlier looks to shoot from range. He hits it from 30 yards but it is straight at Hughes.
59 mins - We have three Hammers subs. Off go Kenzer Lee, Potts, Piquionne and Shaw and on come Elliot Lee, Lamar Hurley, Josh Siafa and Jake Young. Thurrock made a change too.
58 mins - Hendon is readying a couple of subs. Piquionne will be one to make way after a planned hour's work-out. A great passing move finishes with Driver forcing the home side to concede a throw-on deep in their own half.
56 mins - Turgott nearly picks out Piquionne with a decent cross. The Frenchman only just missed that. He then gets on the end of a Shaw cross 20 seconds later. He might be coming off on the hour so time is running out for him to get on the score-sheet.
55 mins - News from Aldershot Town, where Robert Hall has scored again for Oxford. That's three in four starts for the 17-year-old. Meanwhile, back here, the Hammers are building patiently and stroking the ball around. This is better from Hendon's young side.
53 mins - Potts does well at the other end to find Sadlier with a raking pass. He feeds Piquionne but the Thurrock defence stand firm.
51 mins - Great save from Kurucz. Hockton got past Potts but could not beat the keeper despite being clear on goal. That will do the Hammers shot-stopper the world of good.
50 mins - It has been a bit scrappy so far this half. Neither side has really shown or got their passing game going.
48 mins - Well done Turgott. Thurrock had broken away down their left wing but the England youth international read the danger. He knocked the ball behind for a corner. From the flag-kick, the Hammers clear well.
47 mins - Thurrock have also brought on Reece Hewitt. The Hammers look to have gone to a 4-4-2 with Montenegro and Piquionne in attack. Sadlier and Turgott are in the wide positions.
46 mins - We have a few changes here. Baldock and Sears are off. Blair Turgott and Kieran Sadlier have come on in their place. Thurrock have made a few changes. Paul Terry, brother of John is on. There is also a No19 but I don't have a No19 on my team-sheet. Bear with me a bit this half, I think.
Half-time - Thurrock 0-1 West Ham XI
45 mins - The half-time whistle goes almost immediately. Not a bad half that with plenty of good passing play from both teams. Hendon will have a few positive things to say about his young charges no doubt at the interval.
44 mins - Just brilliant from Potts. The defender flings himself at a Okojie cross to head clear. The young Hammers defender has shown great positional sense this evening and has been in the right place at the right time constantly. Up the other end, Sears curls one into Hughes' hands. Not too far away that.
42 mins - Baldock wins a header but Piquionne just can't latch on to it. The Hammers No7 has worked hard but is covered by two men whenever he gets the ball.
41 mins - Driver is down after a late challenge. He needs treatment in midfield so we have the first real break in play.
40 mins - There are a lot of kids here tonight. Young Hammers fans are reminded they can take advantage of the Kids for a Quid scheme running for the next home game against Blackpool on Saturday week. It means a parent can take two children for a total of £34.
39 mins - Osborn goes for glory from 30 yards and isn't far away. Kurucz was worried enough to dive for it but the ball just flashed wide.
38 mins - A bright period of passing play started by Moncur finishes with the young skipper lashing one over. The build-up warranted better than that but the No4 was entitled to shoot as the defence backed away.
37 mins - Hendon will be pleased with his young back four. They have stood up well to a physical and pacy Thurrock attack. Potts and Kenzer Lee have been dominant when they've needed to and read the game well on the fast Thurrock counterattacks.
35 mins - Sears and Baldock combine before putting Montenegro in to the left of goal. The young striker goes for goal and works the keeper at the near post. There were three team-mates screaming for the ball in the area, though.
35 mins - Piquionne rises highest but his header is off target. Baldock pounces on the loose ball but Hughes makes the save. Thurrock counter quickly and win a corner of their own.
34 mins - Moncur hits the bar with a great strike from fully 30 yards. Hughes got a hand to it so we have a corner.
32 mins - Potts does superbly to block after a quick Thurrock counter. The home side are up for this and giving it all they've got.
30 mins - Gemili does brilliantly up from right-back. He crosses for Osborn who shoots but Driver does brilliantly to block. Piquionne wins a majestic header from the resulting corner and the Hammers break away.
28 mins - Sears picks out Piquionne with a lovely 30-yard pass. Shaw gets upfield from left-back and crosses. The ball eventually comes to Sears again, and he shows good footwork to force a chance for Lletget. The American lets fly but the ball clears the bar and keeps rising.
27 mins - Baldock gets in behind but instantly has two men on him. He tries to cross on the run but his ball goes high and wide.
26 mins - Okojie is one to watch for Thurrock. He has two good feet and is causing the visitors' young defence to be on their toes. Thurrock have a long-range effort from Glenn Poole that just misses to show for that bright period of play.
24 mins - The set-piece comes to nothing but West Ham build again. Piquionne picks it up to the right of goal and blasts one from 25 yards. That's blocked but the ball eventually reaches Sears 12 yards out. He lashes goalwards and his effort only just clears the bar. Should have been his second.
23 mins - More good play from Lletget and Baldock leads to a chance for Sears at the far post. Thurrock are on to him quickly and force a Hammers corner.
22 mins - Sears slips in Driver down the right. The full-back crosses but it is too long. Thurrock counter quickly but Kenzer Lee crowds out Hockton after good work by Okojie.
21 mins - Sears again drives at the defence. He feeds Baldock who in turn lays out wide to Piquionne. The cross fails to beat the first man and the Hammers have to regroup.
19 mins - Outstanding 40-yard crossfield ball from Lletget. He picks out Driver on the move and the right-back nearly breaks free in the area. The ball just went out of play before he could cross.
18 mins - Adam Gemili shows great pace to burst forward from right-back for the home team. Eventually he crosses in but the chance goes begging. Goal-kick for West Ham but they will be wary of Gemili's pace from now on. That was electric.
17 mins - Montenegro runs at the home defence before slipping a pass to Piquionne. Thurrock crowd him out and the Hammers are foiled again.
16 mins - Terrific play from the Hammers moves the ball from right to left. Shaw does well to keep the move going but the home side force the Hammers back. Moncur and Lletget are seeing a lot of the ball and the latter just fails to pick out Montenegro in behind on the left flank.
15 mins - The Hammers are keeping the ball well at the back. Sears drives again before slipping in Piquionne in behind. The Frenchman was just offside, though, and the chance goes.
13 mins - Baldock is flagged for offside. That was close and he was in on goal there.
12 mins - More good play from West Ham nearly creates an opening for Sears again. Thurrock break well but Callum Driver does well to stop Loui Hazelwood.
11 mins - Piquionne takes it but his curled effort flies over.
10 mins - Moncur and Lletget tease the home defence with some neat passing before the American wins a free-kick on the edge of the area. Piquionne and Baldock are over it.
9 mins - More great work from Okojie out wide picks out Hockton again. The shot is first time but Danny Potts blocks brilliantly.
8 mins - GOAL! - Freddie Sears runs from fully 40 yards out at the Thurrock defence. When he gets to within 20 yards he lets fly with a fierce effort that leaves David Hughes no chance.
8 mins - Good play from Dee Okojie has Frazer Shaw back-pedalling before a decent ball picks out Danny Hockton. The header is weak though and Kurucz claims.
7 mins - Hendon has his team lined up in a 4-3-3 with Montenegro to the left, Baldock through the middle and Piquionne to the right. The front three are likely to change at will, as the game progresses.
6 mins - Brian Montenegro drops deep to get involved. You can't miss him with his bright orange boots, although they are not a patch on the yellow pair being worn by Moncur.
5 mins - Down in front of the main stand are the Hammers Ladies team, who play here for their home matches. Good play from Sebastian Lletget in midfield but Thurrock hack it away and we start again with Kurucz.
4 mins - An over-hit pass from Alf Wren gives possession back to the Hammers. Goal-kick for Kurucz, who is playing only his second game after 14 months out with a knee injury. It is great to see the popular Hungarian keeper back in the claret and blue, or should I say grey and green given the colour of his top.
3 mins - Sam Baldock very nearly gets on to a long ball forward. Thurrock get the danger away before losing out in midfield.
2 mins - Kenzer Lee brings down Alec Osborn 20 yards from goal. Early shooting opportunity this for the home side. Glenn Poole takes it but the effort fizzes wide to Peter Kurucz's left-hand post.
1 min - We are under way. The Hammers are keeping possession well in the opening minute and every member of the back four has a touch before Thurrock force a throw-on.
Kick-off
7.40pm - Here come the teams to a special mix of music including House of Pain's Jump Around and Queen's Don't Stop Me Now. There are a few hundred here which is not a bad turnout given the awful traffic in the area. George Moncur is in the middle for the captain's duties.
Thurrock: Hughes, Gemili, Wren, Smith, Robinson, Bowditch, Okojie, Poole, Hockton, Osborn, Hazelwood
Subs: Hewitt, White, Terry, Cracknell, Morgan
West Ham United: Kurucz, Driver, K Lee, Potts, Shaw, Sears, Moncur, Lletget, Montenegro, Piquionne, Baldock
Subs: Cowler, Siafa, Hurley, Young, Turgott, E Lee, Sadlier
Welcome to the Ship Lane home of Thurrock FC for live text coverage of West Ham United's development squad in action. Manager Ian Hendon has named a strong side, with an experienced forward line combining with some of the club's best Academy talent at the back. Among those watching on will be assistant manager Neil McDonald, meaning there is every incentive for the likes of Brian Montenegro and Freddie Sears to impress.
Montenegro scored his first goal in Hammers colours last week in the 4-4 draw at Dagenham & Redbridge. Highlights of that game are playing now on West Ham TV, while you can also watch the best action from every single Under-18 contest this campaign. Click here to view it all now.
In goal, Peter Kurucz has been given the starting berth in a late change. Ruud Boffin will figure on Friday at MK Dons, with Sam Cowler on the bench this evening.
George Moncur has been handed the captain's armband, and should form an exciting midfield duo with fit-again US starlet Sebastian Lletget. On the bench, the likes of Blair Turgott, Kieran Sadlier and Elliot Lee will all be aiming to repeat their sensational form at U18 level.
The home side compete in the Conference South and boast a couple of recognisable names in their ranks. Former Academy ace Lee Boylan, who played one Premier League game back in 1996/97, is in the attack while in midfield is Paul Terry, the brother of England defender John.
Thurrock have just won through to the FA Cup third qualifying round with a 1-0 replay win against VCD Athletic and have a home tie with Arlesey Town to look forward to on Saturday week.