West Ham United U23s should expect their opponents to be up for a scalp against them, warned Nathan Holland.
The in-form winger was in electrifying form against Middlesbrough U23s on Friday night, contributing a brilliant solo opening goal before laying on assists for Anthony Scully and Dan Kemp in a dramatic 4-3 victory.
The result extended the U23s’ unbeaten run to 15 games under lead coach Dmitri Halajko, and Holland believes his side’s fine form will be an additional source of motivation for the Premier League 2 Division 2 teams they come up against in the future.
Highlights: Middlesbrough U23s 3-4 West Ham United U23s
“The lads are buzzing,” Holland said afterwards. “We’re on such a good run so to get another win under tough circumstances is a great feeling for the boys..
“We know that teams are going to put us under the cosh. Everyone wants to beat us at the minute because we’re in such good form, and that will make our job harder, but we have to just deal with it and, above all else, always find a way to win – like we did tonight.”
I tried to get at them throughout, and got my goal, but it was also an all-round great performance from us as a team.
Nathan Holland
Holland has now registered three goals and four assists in seven competitive appearances for the U23s this season with a quarter of the league campaign gone.
The 21-year-old, who made his first-team debut against Bolton two years ago in the League Cup, recognised that he had enjoyed a fine individual match against Middlesbrough, but credited it to the backroom staff’s prior preparation.
“We watched clips beforehand and we saw how they play,” Holland explained. “We looked at their weaknesses, and if you like, capitalised on those tonight.
“I was confident going into the match, tried to get at them throughout, and got my goal, but it was also an all-round great performance from us as a team.”
West Ham U23s had been facing up to the prospect of their first defeat of the season with 15 minutes remaining of the match against Middlesbrough, but instead secured three unlikely points through Scully and Kemp’s late goals.
The game bore a striking resemblance to the Leasing.com Trophy turnaround at Newport County a fortnight ago, and Holland attributes the team’s tendency to recover from challenging situations to their strong collective mentality.
He said: “I think tonight was a mark of our character, and how we can dig points out under tricky circumstances.
“Tonight we were under pressure for several spells, but we switched it around, and to come out with three points again is brilliant. There’s room for improvement also, so hopefully we’ll just keep getting better.
“To go on a run like this isn’t easy, and with us switching the squad around too, with big players going on loan or out on international duty, everyone has to be doing well. It’s a really talented squad and the vibe around here is great too.”
West Ham U23s return to Premier League 2 Division 2 action next Sunday 29 September at their home ground – the Chigwell Construction Stadium – and Holland is looking forward to the prospect of a fixture a little closer to home.
“It’s going to be a long bus journey home now!” he smiled. “But we’ll have a good weekend, recover and get ready to go again next Sunday against Sunderland.”
