Newport County 1-0 West Ham United U21s
EFL Trophy Southern Group H, Rodney Parade, Tuesday 17 September 2024, 7pm BST
West Ham United U21s were left frustrated at Rodney Parade as Newport County claimed a late 1-0 win in their second EFL Trophy group stage fixture.
Despite controlling possession and showcasing solid build-up play, the young Hammers were unable to convert their superiority into goals and were ultimately undone by a decisive County move late in the game.
The early exchanges saw West Ham look to exploit Newport’s high line with direct balls over the top. A developing battle on the right side of the pitch between Ezra Mayers and County’s Bobby Kamwa set the tone for a competitive encounter.
The Hammers continued to build from the back and looked comfortable in possession, but Newport's compact midfield kept them from carving out many clear-cut chances. It would be down the flanks where they would find most joy, Ryan Battrum and Sean Moore linking up well on several occasions.
After the break, Newport adopted a more direct approach, testing goalkeeper Finlay Herrick and moving the ball forward with greater urgency. However, it was West Ham who nearly opened the scoring. A brilliant ball over the top from Lewis Orford found Kamarai Swyer, who rounded the goalkeeper only to see his effort cleared off the line by a recovering County defender.
As the second half progressed, West Ham fashioned another good chance when Battrum drove forward and forced Newport keeper Nick Townsend into a smart save.
Then, in the 83rd minute, Newport made their decisive move. A superb forward ball from Bryn Morris caught West Ham's defence off guard, leading to a two-on-one situation. Courtney Baker-Richardson chipped the oncoming Herrick, and substitute Oliver Greaves was on hand to finish, putting the home side ahead.
West Ham brought on fresh legs in the final moments, but Newport managed the remaining minutes well, keeping the ball in West Ham’s half and securing the win.
Despite a strong performance in terms of possession and limiting Newport’s chances, the Hammers were left to rue their missed opportunities. With two defeats from two games in the EFL Trophy, West Ham’s hopes of progressing from Southern Group H now rest on the result of Cheltenham's match against Reading.
West Ham United U21s: Herrick, Casey © (Tarima 63), Luizão, Mayers, Robinson (Battrum 22), Orford, Scarles (Akpata 86), Adiele, Moore (Fawunmi 86), Swyer, Ajala (Dolaghan 86)
Subs not used: Terry (GK), Rigge
Robson: We dominated the game and didn’t deserve that result
Reflecting on a frustrating evening at Rodney Parade, lead coach Mark Robson was clear in his belief that his side were unfortunate not to take anything from the match. Despite controlling large parts of the contest, the Hammers were undone by a late Newport goal.
Robson said: “We dominated the game and didn’t deserve that result. I thought we were the better team and competed really well against a strong side. They fielded a team with several players who had featured over the weekend, which made it a significant test for us. I believe we came through it with flying colours.
“We played well from the back. They were compact in midfield, forcing us into wider areas. We managed to open them up a few times but lacked that final touch. It’s been one of our strengths in recent weeks, but it let us down today. We got into good positions, but the final ball didn’t quite hit the target. Overall, we were the better team, and I’m pleased with the boys’ performance. I can’t recall them causing us much trouble; it was the most comfortable we’ve been in a game like this. I’m really proud of the individual performances.”
Battrum: The football was the most comfortable we’ve looked all season
After coming on as a substitute, Ryan Battrum gave an assured performance, helping the Hammers push Newport back and create some of the better chances of the match. Despite the result, Battrum felt the team showed plenty of positives to build on.
He said: “There are mixed emotions after the game. Some of the boys are understandably disappointed with the result, but I think we all agree that we were the better team. We worked really hard, and in terms of our football, it was the most comfortable we’ve looked all season. It’s definitely something to build on.
“I felt prepared as soon as I came on. We had done a lot of work on Newport, knowing there would be space behind their defence. I tried to exploit those areas and managed to get through a couple of times, and take on some of their players one-on-one. We didn’t take our chances when it was level and it cost us in the end.”
