Academy

Highlights & Reaction: U21s continue PL2 run with Stoke City win

26th January 2024

West Ham United U21s 3-1 Stoke City U21s
Premier League 2, Rush Green Stadium, Friday 26 January, 7pm GMT

Sean Moore’s first Premier League 2 goal saw West Ham United U21s stretch a league-winning run to six games following a 3-1 victory over Stoke City on Friday evening.

The Republic of Ireland youth’s first goal in Claret and Blue was rifled into the top corner with his weaker right foot and opened the scoring with 38 minutes played.

In a busy second half, Kamarai Swyer and George Earthy found the net either side of Jack Griffith’s effort to set a ninth league win in motion.

Having stretched a league-unbeaten run to eleven games thanks to a hard-fought victory, the U21s now sit second in the league table, having taken 29 points from their first 12 fixtures.

The Hammers almost saw the perfect start as Earthy hit the post after 30 seconds, although the game was far more even than a frantic opening at Rush Green Stadium suggested.

Indeed, the U21s were indebted to a string of saves from Jacob Knightbridge, although Swyer went close, before Moore opened the scoring on 38 minutes.

The young goalkeeper was back in the action to deny Stoke’s Emre Tezgel after the break as his neat stop, diving low to his right, kept his side ahead.

Skipper Michael Forbes later stood tall to deflect a Stoke header onto the crossbar, before Swyer saw Robinson’s cross deflect off his boot, up and over the visiting keeper, and into the net to double the Irons’ lead on minute 55.

A composed finish from Griffiths on 64 minutes breathed life into the fixture and left Steve Potts' side searching for more goals to confirm the win, however.

Moore was denied by an inspired stop from Blondy Noukeu, while Lewis Orford struck over the bar after a neat move cut the visitors open.

With Knightbridge busied at the other end by a battling Stoke attack, the Hammers needed Earthy’s stoppage-time strike to secure another three-point haul for the U21s.

West Ham United U21s: Knightbridge, Robinson, Casey, Forbes ©, Luizao, Scarles, Kelly, Orford, Moore (Clayton 85), Swyer, Earthy
Subs not used: Terry (GK), Laing, Chesters, Tarima

Goals: Moore 38, Swyer 55, Earthy 90+2

Booked: Robinson, Moore, Earthy

Moore: It’s a nice moment to open my Premier League 2 account!

What a night for Sean Moore then, who struck his first competitive Claret & Blue goal with a delightful first-half finish.

What a strike from Sean Moore to open the scoring for the U21s against Stoke City 🔥
— West Ham United (@WestHam) January 26, 2024

His effort, alongside second-half strikes from Kamarai Swyer and George Earthy, helped the Hammers to consecutive wins in PL2, responding to their Bristol Street Motors Trophy exit impeccably.

He said: “It was a good performance and a tough game, but we got through it and got the win. In those types of games, you just need moments of quality to win the games.

“It was good to get the goal, and this run of games is helping me a bit and I want to just take it game by game now and push on at West Ham.

“Playing in that front three, it is hard work with the press, but I can hopefully bring goals and assists from there to help the team continue this run.”