Lewis Orford is adamant that West Ham United U18s should hold their heads high after a hard-fought defeat against Manchester City on Wednesday night.
The young Hammers were dreaming of lifting their third trophy of the season when Gideon Kodua gave the side a first half lead at the Etihad Stadium, calmly slotting the ball into the back of the net after Patrick Kelly's smart through pass.
However, it was not to be and Justin Oboavwodua’s second half header ensured that the match would go the distance, before the City winger secured his brace in extra time to claim the U18s Premier League National trophy.
Whilst Orford was disappointed not to win a third trophy of the season, the midfielder said that the young side should be proud of their incredible season.
“The boys are all disappointed,” Orford told whufc.com. “We worked so hard as a group to get here and we gave our all tonight. Unfortunately we couldn’t get across the line in the end, but I must say that the season has been great as a whole.
“It has been a great year so we shouldn’t be too disappointed with ourselves. We won the southern league and also won the Youth Cup so it has still been a really successful year. It’s a great squad to be a part of and we have stuck together the whole way. Unfortunately tonight didn’t go our way, so it’s now time to focus on next season.”
The 17-year-old highlighted that there was no shame in a 2-1 defeat, after extra time, to such a talented Manchester City side that had won a third consecutive national championship by beating the Hammers.
He continued: “The way that they move the ball is unbelievable. We were chasing the ball for most of the game and we had to work really hard. When we did have the ball I think we looked really good though and we made some good chances.
“If we could have scored a second goal before they equalised then the game would have been done. They are a good side though and it went all the way to the end. I think a draw after 90 minutes against a side so strong is a big achievement for us. We haven’t faced an opponent this strong all season, so it is a massive credit to all of the boys for competing so well.”
The Hammers have enjoyed a history making campaign, which saw Kevin Keen’s side win a remarkable 27 of their 32 matches in all competitions, win the U18 Premier League South trophy, and lift a fourth FA Youth Cup in West Ham history.
Despite the disappointment of a final defeat, Orford urged his teammates to hold their heads up after an excellent campaign.
“Of course we are all disappointed but there is a lot of pride too. Kev just had a chat with us and he said that we should feel proud rather than feeling down. The season that we have had has been unbelievable and we should all be really pleased with it.
“There is no need for us to hold our heads down in shame because we have had one of the best seasons in the club’s history at this level, so we should hold our heads high with pride.”
