Norwich City U21s 0-2 West Ham United U21s
Premier League 2, Carrow Road, Friday 12 April 2024, 7pm BST
West Ham United U21s brushed aside Norwich City with a 2-0 win to go top of Premier League 2 on Friday evening.
The Hammers, who have now won their last three development league fixtures (Derby County, Brighton & Hove Albion and Norwich City), scored two first-half goals at Carrow Road, with Lewis Orford and George Earthy both on the scoresheet inside 30 minutes.
Sat level on points with leaders Tottenham Hotspur at kick-off, the Hammers made the perfect start to boosting their seeding for the knockout stages.
England U18 Orford found the net on ten minutes after Earthy put a well-struck finish on a plate with a beautiful bit of skill and then a neat reverse pass.
The provider then turned scorer with half-an-hour played when he found the top corner from 25 yards out – an effort of the same calibre as Orford’s strike against PSV U21s on Tuesday evening.
A hatful of U18s also made good impressions, with Airidas Golambeckis making his first start, while Ezra Mayers, Dan Rigge, Josh Ajala and Emeka Adiele also got valuable minutes at development level.
The search for another goal in the second half saw Orford send a free-kick narrowly over, Callum Marshall hit the post, and Adiele strike wide, although two first-half goals proved enough for the U21s' 13th victory of the league season.
Having already secured their place in the Premier League 2 knockouts, the U21s have one final regular season fixture remaining – at home to Leicester City on Friday 26 April – before the knockout mini-tournament to decide the development league champions begins in May.
West Ham United U21s: Knightbridge, Robinson (Adiele 55), Golambeckis, Casey © (Tarima 59), Mayers, Moore, Kelly, Orford, Earthy (Rigge 59), Marshall, Swyer (Ajala 85)
Sub not used: Terry (GK)
Goals: Orford 10, Earthy 30
Booked: Mayers, Kelly
Prenderville praises Hammers’ professionalism
There was a lot for assistant coach Gerard Prenderville to admire from West Ham United’s performance at Carrow Road, with a small gathering of Claret & Blue roaring on the U21s in the South Stand.
For the second time this season, following a 5-2 win over Leeds United in August, the U21s were entertained at an EFL Championship ground, with Orford and Earthy leading the charge for the win with two moments of real quality.
A busy week has seen the Hammers record a PL2 win on either side of their Premier League International Cup semi-final exit to PSV on Tuesday.
The U21s needed to bounce back on Friday evening, and they did just that.
Prenderville explained: “It’s a great game for the lads to play at the stadium [Carrow Road] in front of over 2,300 fans. I thought the boys’ application was good in what has been a three-game week.
"We’re really, really pleased with the clean sheet, as it’s been a while since we last had one. The two goals we scored were two really good team goals, and we are probably disappointed we didn’t score a few more.
"It was a tough game against Derby last week, then we played against a top PSV team during the week when the conditions were up against us in the second half, and managed to get another important win tonight."
Orford, Earthy, Knightbridge, and Casey all travelled to Bayer Leverkusen too for the first-team's UEFA Europa League tie.
“They only came back this morning," Prenderville enthused. "So it shows a lot of resilience, and for me it shows a group of boys that have the enthusiasm to play and train every day."
Golambeckis makes first U21 start
As venues go, Carrow Road was not a bad place for 16-year-old Airidas Golambeckis to make his U21 debut.
A run of impressive performances for Kevin Keen's U18s saw the young centre-half rewarded with Premier League 2 action, his first minutes for the U21s coming from the start.
The young Hammer made a couple of crucial interceptions and also impressed in one-v-one duels, although due to West Ham's dominance in Norfolk most of his work was done with the ball.
He explained: "In the first few minutes I was a bit nervous, but the lads helped me settle in, especially Kaelan Casey, who played in the middle of the back three.
"The venue was good and it is easily the biggest crowd I have ever played in front of, so it was a big challenge for me but it is preparing you for the next steps as a footballer.
"The last six months have been great. The U18s are doing well and now to play with the U21s who are doing well is good too.
"Everyone is together as a team at West Ham and I just want to keep impressing with the U18s and hopefully U21s as well."
Up next
There is a week break for the U21s before their 20th and final fixture of the regular Premier League 2 season.
The Irons will host Leicester City on Friday 26 April at Rush Green Stadium, with kick-off set for 7pm.
