FT - Dev Squad 1-2 Norwich City

Full-time score: Development Squad 1-2 Norwich City

90+2: That's it. West Ham have lost a game they looked like winning and should have won. Brown took his goal superbly and Potts made a successful comeback from injury, but it is difficult to take positives from such a defeat. Anyway, the Dev Squad will seek to stop the rot when they host Manchester City at the Boleyn Ground next Friday evening.

89: Kelly has a go for Norwich, but his curler does not come back enough and goes wide of the left-hand post for a goal kick. Time is running out for West Ham...

86: A free-kick is cleared as far as Westley, who drives a first-time shot well off-target. Goal kick.

85: Goal! Oh dear. Hall-Johnson is the creator this time, racing past his man and cutting into the box from the right. His powerful low cross flashes into the path of Efete, who smashes an unstoppable drive into the roof of the net. Norwich celebrate wildly, as you might expect.

84: Goal! Those missed chances have cost West Ham dear. A cross from the right eludes Howes and drops to Hall-Johnson. He still has plenty to do, but controls and smashes a rasping shot high into the net, just inside the right-hand post. Super finish, but Howes won't be happy.

81: Three chances in the space of two minutes for West Ham to wrap this up. Parfitt-Williams is involved in all three! First, he shoots from 25 yards and Bunn parries. Next, he tees up Page to find Brown, who flashes a shot across the face. Seconds later, Brown's cross is a yard in front of the No7, who thunders into a tackle eight yards out and the clearance hits the Bermudan and the ball flies over the top.

79: Potts is back in action tonight after a long time out following knee surgery. The defender has always been an assured character and he shows his awareness again by making a firm sliding challenge to deny Norwich inside the West Ham penalty area. Fine defending.

77: You guessed it! Another corner, this time as Ward is closed down quickly after allowing the ball to squirm out of his immediate control at the far post. The corner is cleared - for a change.

75: Two more corners in quick succession for Norwich. The first is headed down by Efete, but a West Ham defender slashes at it and Cullen shows fine composure to head wide of his own post for another one. The second corner also finds the tall Efete, but this time the No3 heads wide of the far upright.

73: Yet another corner for West Ham, but this one also comes to nothing as the referee blows for an infringement by Onariase.

71: Superb concentration from Howes, who stands up and then closes his legs quickly to make a save from Kelly. The No11 had got in behind and shot low towards the near bottom corner from no more than ten yards. Good stop.

69: A big chance for 2-0 and for Brown to score his second, but he times his jump wrongly and gets under Page's outstanding left-wing cross. The header loops harmlessly over the top.

66: The Hammers win a free-kick in an attacking position now, but Page makes a complete mess of the delivery - or was it a shot - as the ball flies high enough to clear three goals, let alone one!

64: West Ham need to be resilient here. Norwich win a free-kick wide on their left and it is launched into the box. The marvellously-named Joe Crowe rises, but the No6 cannot keep his header down. Goal kick.

60: A Norwich chance as a cross finds Norman unmarked at the far post. Howes makes a fine save to fingertip the ball around the post. The referee gives a goal kick. Fair enough.

59: It's been a physical game but has not boiled over, until now! Westley and Norwich left-back Efete come together on the far side and some handbags ensue. The referee blows his whistle and books both players for their efforts.

56: Norwich make their first change, bringing on No15 Louis Ramsey for No10 Cantwell.

54: The corner is only half-cleared and West Ham work it to Ward. He leans back and launches a shot over the top from the right side of the Norwich penalty area.

53: Half a chance for Norwich to reply almost immediately, but the low shot is deflected wide. West Ham break and Brown muscles his way in behind again. He cuts back for Parfitt-Williams, who drops his shoulder and sees a shot blocked behind.

50: GOAL! Pick that one out! Brown collects 25 yards out and literally leathers a curling, swerving unstoppable drive that bends past Bunn and into the far top corner. A goal to grace any game. Probably Brown's hardest chance and it ends up in the back of the net. Super strike.

47: A teasing cross to the far post is reached by Westley, but he cannot get enough on the ball and Bunn smothers it. To be fair, the No2 was put under some pressure by the Norwich full-back there and did not have a free run at the ball.

46: The second half is underway courtesy of the Hammers. No changes from either coach for now.

Half-time score: Development Squad 0-0 Norwich City

45+1: We have not had many stoppages and Mr Laver blows for half-time after a few seconds of added time. West Ham had the better of that half, with Brown to the fore with a handful of chances, but it remains goalless at Rush Green.

44: Better from Brown, who beats two men with a powerful run into the box before forcing Bunn into a smart save with a fine shot from an acute angle. The goalkeeper pushes behind for a corner. The flag kick flicks a Norwich head and goes behind again on the near side. Page curls this one in and it drops to Ward, whose shot is deflected just wide. The final corner is sent over by Cullen, but the whistle goes for a foul as Bunn saves a downward header.

42: Brown is through and looks set to test Bunn again, but he dallies as the ball bounces in front of him, allowing the Norwich defender to get back and make a sliding challenge. We still await the first goal as day becomes night at Rush Green...

37: Another half-chance for the Canaries as Ward switches off momentarily and opposite No11 Kelly slashes a shot high and not very handsome from 12 yards. He had more time than he thought, there. That was Ward's first real mistake, to be honest. The trialist has a big group of family and friends here cheering him on, as you would expect.

36: A big chance for Norwich’s giant No9 Carlton Morris, but the big striker cannot make firm contact and his header flashes wide. Onariase has been battling with the forward all game and he did just enough there to put Morris off.

29: Amazing action. Captain Cullen appears to be tripped just inside the Norwich penalty area. Nothing is given by the referee but Cullen gets up and plays in Parfitt-Williams, who clips over Bunn but the ball kisses the crossbar. It drops to Brown, who also hits the bar from no more than six yards. Brown battles again but slides and hooks his shot wide of the far post!

25: Brown has also been involved heavily for the hosts, but he leans back and gets his body position all wrong as he shoots high and wide from 22 yards. Half-chance for the West Ham No9 there.

20: It's an even game now as the visitors have found their feet and West Ham's pressure has abated somewhat. That said, trialist Ward has looked lively and he puts in the second of two dangerous-looking crosses in the space of the last few minutes.

15: Norwich finally find the purpose to launch an attack and they win a free-kick on the right. It drops to Ward from an aerial challenge and Ward volleys clear.

11: A third West Ham corner comes to nothing as Bunn clears with his fist.

10: West Ham on top here, but the home side cannot find a way through the visiting defence just yet. Encouraging start, though.

5: Brown gets in behind the Norwich defence and works the experienced Norwich goalkeeper Bunn with a low shot, which the 31-year-old stops with his body as he falls. Moments later, Parfitt-Williams forces another corner, which is cleared.

3: Norwich have the ball in the net, but it’s already long since been ruled out for offside.

1: Norwich get the game underway under the setting sun. It’s a chilly yet pleasant evening and maybe one defender’s mind is elsewhere as he concedes an early needless corner to the Hammers, which is cleared.

7pm - The two teams are out on the pitch here at a sunny yet chilly Rush Green. We might be a minute or two late kicking off here as the two captains are called together by referee Andrew Laver.

6.57pm - The sun is shining here at Rush Green as the two teams take to the pitch. Can the Hammers end a run of three straight defeats and keep their survival hopes alive? We will know by 9pm!

Good evening and welcome to a spring-like Rush Green for tonight's Barclays U21 Premier League fixture between West Ham United and Norwich City. Kick-off is at 7pm.

The Hammers have endured a tough season at this level, winning just three of their 17 league games played to date. Defeat to the Norfolk club tonight would leave Steve Potts' side with a mountain to climb to maintain their Division 1 status for next season.

Norwich, meanwhile, sit fifth and still have an outside chance of winning the title with four games left to play.

Team-wise, West Ham have some fine young talent at their disposal, with Potts calling upon England U18 goalkeeper Sam Howes, new professional Manny Onariase and the fit-again Dan Potts in central defence, while Ireland U21 midfielder Josh Cullen captains the XI.

An unfamiliar name in the starting lineup is Joe Ward, a 19-year-old winger who has arrived on trial from non-league Chelmsford City. The teenager did play for the youth team on trial a season or two back, and will hope to impress on his second stint in a West Ham shirt.

Norwich's first team have an important Championship clash with Middlesbrough tonight, meaning Paul Wilkinson has a relatively inexperienced squad to pick from. However, the Canaries possess a strong Academy and the men in yellow and green are sure to pose a stern challenge.

Development Squad: Howes. Westley, Page, Onariase, Potts, Makasi, Parfitt-Williams, Nasha, Cullen (c), Ward, Brown
Subs: Bogard, Knoyle, Carter, Pask, Powell

Norwich City: Bunn, Hall-Johnson, Efete, Grant, McFadden (c), Crowe, Norman, McGrandles, Morris, Cantwell, Kelly
Subs: Black, Beauchamp, Byrne-Hewitt, Ramsay