FT: Brighton & HA U21 1-2 Dev Squad
FT: That's the final whistle and the Hammers have secured their away win of the season. On the balance of play, a deserved three points yet Brighton rallied in the second half. Reaction to follow.
95: Heart in mouths moment as Brighton have a goal scramble. Howes saves and even their keeper is up now. Pure carnage at the end.
93: Tom Dallison goes into the book for a rash challenge, it looks like he's come off the worse. Two minutes to go!
91: Howes boots it upfield and Gordon holds off his marker terrifically. Moses Makasi is coming on for Djair Parfitt-Williams.
89: Five minutes of time to be added on here!
87: Cullen floats a free-kick in but Gordon is flagged for offside. A precious few seconds wasted at least.
85: Backs to the wall defending now! They've given everything, only five minutes to go! Marcus Browne is replaced by Amos Nasha.
81: Goal for Brighton! Jeff Monakana finishes well from a tight angle after Howes got hands to the initial shot. Nervy ten minutes now!
78: Lovely move inspired by Samuelsen as he dances past half of Brighton and into the box, Pike to tries to shoot on the volley but can't get enough on it.
75: Pike, again, wins a header he has no right to, which is indicative of the Dev Squad's determination this evening. Josh Cullen is booked for a trip.
71: Tilley tries to beat Pike for pace but he's having none of it as the right-back pulls off a fantastic sliding challenge. The Seagulls respond by bringing on Vahid Hambo for Daniel Akindayini.
69: Howes is called into action again, this time rises highest to claim a high ball. He made it look a lot easier then it was.
66: Superb save from Sam Howes! He does ever so well to get down, quickly to his left to palm away a near post-flick. Supber work, he clearly wants this clean sheet!
62: What a goal that would have been! Walton punches a ball clear which Samuelsen controls first time in his sleep, he lays it to Hendrie who tries to curl it into the top corner. Walton recovers to pluck it out of the air in the knick of time.
59: Backs to the wall defending for the Hammers but they deal with the danger well. The Seagulls are getting frustrated and a few heavy challenges are flying about. Stephen Hendrie is booked for an over zealous challenge.
57: Idris Kanu is replaced by Jaanai Gordon in a like for like swap. The younger looked lively on his U21 debut. .
56: Crunching tackle on the youngster Kanu, he's on his haunches, Barclay will be booked for his troubles.
54: Superb tracking back by Marcus Browne. His development over the past 12 months has really been something to watch. He originally loses the ball but tracks back 40 odd yards and wins it back with a wonderfully timed challenge.
52: How did he miss? Akindayini is clean through on goal yet he blazes it wide of the far post. It had the power but not the accuracy. A let off.
51: Bit of pressure from the hosts as they win a string of corners, yet Browne clears it away.
49: Jack Harper is replaced by James Tilley.
46: We're back under way here at the Amex. No changes at half time. More of the same please!
45: GOAL for the Hammers! Josh Cullen rolls the ball home nicely after Samuelsen's effort was parried into his path. Calm finish, deserved too. 2-0!
44: Of course, just as I say that Jack Harper goes close to equalising. He tests Sam Howes but the England youth goalkeeper sees it early and makes no mistakes picking it up.
43: Just a few remaining in this first half. As good a first half performance as I can remember from Terry Westley's charges.
40: Phenomenal clearing header by Declan Rice, he lept like a salmon to prevent what looked like a near certain goal. He's not done either as he bombs forward, setting Kanu down the wing.
38: That's Samuelsen's fourth goal of the season in eight appearances!
34: GOAL for the Hammers! Martin Samuelsen despatches the spot kick home coolly but is ordered to retake it, this time Walton gets his gloves to it but it doesn't matter as he slides in the rebound. 1-0 to the Hammers. COYI
34: Penalty to the Hammers, after Marcus Browne is felled by goalkeeper Christian Walton...
32: The Hammers are called into defending for a change. Page gets his head to it before Dobson hurls himself at a rebounded shot from the edge of the box.
29: Lovely close control from Samuelsen gets him out of a tight spot and he sends Page on his way. He gets to the byline but is scythed down just as he's about to cross. Booking for the Brighton man.
25: Close! Yet again, Page delievers, Pike aheads across goal and Browne hooks a shot. It looks destined for the far corner yet falls inches wide. Even the home crowd are applauding that move!
24: Interesting to see Stephen Hendrie play in central defence tonight, he's looking assured and marshalling the defence.
22: Rice does well to block Akindayini's shot on the edge of the box. He's a strong lad for only 16!
19: Samuelsen ghosts into the box, has to check and leaves it to Page to swing in another dangerous cross. It's good and Parfitt-Williams is about to pounce but Molumby clears again.
16: Declan Rice picks a ball out of the fog with a superb touch and turn. It's his positive thinking that sets Alex Pike tearing down the right flank. He beats Jesse Starkey and drills a cross along the deck, Jayson Molumby slides to clear the danger.
14: Best opening to a game for the Hammers all season, they're controlling posession and territory extremely well. It's like watching Barcelona!
12: Page expertly heads a dangerous ball into Howes' path and he collects with minimum fuss. Down the other end, Cullen, as ever, is chasing and harrying everything in sight.
10: Another good delivery into the box, this time from the right-hand side from Pike. Good to see the right-back in action after suffering an injury. The cross is good but Ben Barclay gets a strong foot to it.
8: George Dobson does well to intercept a pass and he heads it straight to Idris Kanu, the debutant spins expertly and draws a foul. Superb forward play there.
6: The hosts are battling their way into the game. Daniel Akindayini looks like a handful up front already, Charlie Harris looks good in possession.
3: Moments later the visitors are on the attack again, this time Marcus Browne shoots from the edge of the box. It falls just wide. Positive start!
2: Excellent start for the Hammers as Josh Cullen, Martin Samuelsen and Lewis Page venture forward and work a dangerous cross into the box. Alex Pike attacks it at the back post which is scrambled, almost sliced into his own net by a Brighton defender. The corner is cleared.
1: Here we go! Brighton, in their traditional Blue and White stripes, kicking left to right, the Hammers are in Claret and Blue and will get us under way.
6.50pm: We're just 10 minutes away from kick off here at the Amex. The fans are streaming in and we could be set for a classic. COYI!
6.35pm: Not every day in the world of U21 football do you come across an ex-Real Madrid player, however that is exactly what we have on our hands tonight. Scottish striker Jack Harper joined the Seagulls in the summer from the Galacticos, and after speaking to some of the locals it sounds like big things are expected of him. One to watch, no doubt.
6.20pm: Tonight's hosts currently prop up the Barclays U21 Premier League division two table, having said that, however, they secured an impressive 1-1 draw away at West Bromwich Albion last time out who are currently second.
6pm: Hello and welcome to our live coverage from Amex Stadium in Brighton. It's a chilly night on the South Coast, let me tell you!
As you can see from the teams below, some interesting talking points. Idris Kanu makes his debut for the U21s, still only 15 years old!
Further good news is the return of Alex Pike, making his first start of the season having recovered from injury.
Brighton & Hove Albion U21: Walton, Hunt (c), Starkey, Molumby, Barclay, Dallison, Ward, Harris, Akindayini, Harper (Tilley 49), Monakana
Subs: Hambo, Doherty, Tighe, Davies
West Ham United U21: Howes, Pike, Page, Dobson, Rice, Hendrie, Parfitt-Williams (Makasi 90), Cullen (c), Kanu (Gordon 57), Browne (Nasha 85), Samuelsen
Subs: Brown (GK), Akinola
Referee: Richard Hulme