Kaelan Casey admits West Ham United U21s will have to be at their best to reach the next stage of the Premier League 2 Play-Offs on Friday evening.
Steve Potts’ side has been in exceptional form in the league this campaign, securing second place in the regular season table, and a place in the knockouts, having taken 42 points from their 20 fixtures.
Such form has set up a last-16 tie against Blackburn Rovers, who finished 15th – a match that will be played at Rush Green Stadium on Friday 3 May, and one that Season Ticket Holders can attend for free.
Speaking ahead of the fixture, Casey said the U21s are taking nothing for granted as they seek to bounce back from only a fourth PL2 defeat of the season to Leicester City last time out.
“We’re really pleased to have come second in the table,” the defender stated. “But we want to push on and do as well as we can in the Play-Offs and finish the season on a high.
“There is a chance to win a trophy, so everyone is focused and wanting to build on what has been a really good year for us.
“We have played a lot of good teams in Premier League 2 this year, so there won’t be any easy games in the knockouts because everyone that has qualified for this next competition has shown they have a lot of quality and the ability to beat anyone.”
West Ham will fancy their chances of reaching the next stage and will take some confidence from a 3-1 victory away to Blackburn Rovers in March, when George Earthy, Lewis Orford and Luizão etched their names on the scoresheet in Lancashire.
Friday's challenge will be a different one though as since that clash Blackburn have tasted just one defeat in Premier League 2, as a run of three wins and a draw across their final five matches secured a spot in the last 16.
“I think we can take some confidence from beating Blackburn earlier in the season,” Casey continued. “But we know they will be right up for it on Friday. They pushed us close earlier in the season and we expect a big challenge from them again.”
On a personal level, this season has been a positive one for Casey, who has frequently featured in the men’s first-team matchday squad and regularly trained with the senior team at Rush Green too.
Hopes of following fellow FA Youth Cup winners Divin Mubama and George Earthy in making a Premier League debut are clear in his mind, then.
“This year has been a really good one for me and I think I have made big steps,” Casey added.
“I’ve enjoyed playing with the U21s and I have also had the chance to train with the first team and be part of a few matchday squads as well.
“Training with the first-team boys shows you how big the step up is from development football to the senior game, because you’re playing with some top players and the speed of the game is so much faster. You can’t switch off at all.
"Being in those sessions is pushing me to keep improving and getting better because I want to end up playing in that team one day."
