U18s assistant manager, Mark Phillips admitted that the best team won as the young Hammers were beaten 1-0 by Norwich City U18 at Little Heath on Saturday.
Both sides were guilty of conceding possession too easily in a first half which lacked many clear-cut opportunities.
For the Hammers, Korrey Henry and Anthony Scully both had shots blocked inside the box, whilst Norwich City’s Branden Odei saw his free-header from six yards out slide across the face of goal.
It was a moment of brilliance from Norwich City’s No8, Bilal Kamal, just past the half hour mark, which was eventually the difference.
The visitors were awarded a soft free-kick 25 yards out and the young midfielder stepped up and perfectly placed the ball over the wall and in the top right-hand corner. Hammers keeper Rihard Matrevics was left with no chance.
Despite changes in the second half, which included the introduction of U16 talents Louis Watson and Odi Spyrides, the story of the second half was much the same as the first.
Ben Johnson and Reece Hannon had the second half’s best chances but neither tested the Norwich goalkeeper and the visitors eventually held out for the win.
“Norwich just deserved to win, they worked really hard – they’re a hard-working side,” admitted Hammers coach Mark Phillips.
“I have to admit, I was a little disappointed with our senior players. There were lots of U16s playing but the sprinkling of second years we had can play a lot better than what they did.
Before today, the Hammers U18s had been on an impressive five-game unbeaten run that stretched back to early-December and Phillips was quick to reassure his squad.
“I hope it is just a blip,” he continued. “We’ve been on a good run so today is disappointing of course, but we still want to get into the top four.”
Next up for the U18s, they welcome Aston Villa to Little Heath on Saturday 11 February, a side who the Hammers beat 2-1 back in October.
“We need to be wary – we beat Norwich comfortably earlier in the season too so we cant expect the pattern to always go like that,” Phillips stated.
“I am optimistic that we will work hard in training this week. The manner of our passing was poor today so we will work to eradicate that and hopefully we’ll be ready to go again next week.”