Liverpool U21s 1-1 West Ham United U21s
Premier League 2, AXA Training Centre, Sunday 9 March 2025, 12.30pm GMT
West Ham United U21s were held to a 1-1 draw against Liverpool U21s at AXA Training Centre, with two own-goals cancelling each other out in a closely-contested match on Merseyside.
The young Hammers created the opening chance of the game inside three minutes. A crossfield pass by Lewis Orford headed towards Junior Robinson, who threaded a pass into Kamarai Swyer’s path, but he was denied by Harvey Davies, and a follow-up from Dan Rigge was volleyed over.
At the other end, Liverpool then created their first chance of the afternoon with Ranel Young bursting in on goal, only to be thwarted by West Ham goalkeeper Lanre Awesu.
Awesu was once again called into action, this time to brilliantly push Trey Nyoni’s goalbound effort around the post after the rebound fell kindly inside the box at the back post.
Liverpool continued to press and, after Orford had curled a shot from distance wide for the Hammers, went close to the opener, with Nyoni forcing another smart save from Awesu.
After the break, the visitors made a bright start. Rigge was lively as he almost teed up Swyer for the first shot of the second half inside.
The young Reds hit back, Tommy Pilling twisted and turned inside the box before drilling a low shot wide of the mark.
However, we soon took the lead in bizarre circumstances via a defensive error when Isaac Mabaya's backpass to Davies found its way past the goalkeeper and into an unguarded net.
With Liverpool ramping up the tempo in search of an equaliser, substitute Keyrol Figueroa thought he had levelled having charged down on Awesu. He blocked a clearance from our No1, leaving the ball to loop towards goal, but appeals that the ball had crossed the line were swiftly waved away by the referee.
Nyoni was then involved again, shooting towards goal having been sent in behind by Kieran Morrison, before Carter Pinnington’s header from a set piece was scrambled to safety.
It looked like the young Hammers had done enough for an eighth successive Premier League 2 win, but we were forced to settle for a point in unfortunate circumstances.
After Emeka Adiele was dismissed in the third minute of stoppage time for a second bookable offence, the resulting free-kick was crossed into the box and inadvertently headed into his own net by Orford with what was the last touch of the game.
Liverpool U21s: Davies, Mabaya, Jonas, Pinnington, Nallo ©, McConnell (Laffey, 30), Kone-Doherty, Nyoni, Young (Ngumoha, 63), Morrison, Pilling (Figueroa, 79)
Subs not used: Misciur (GK), Spearing
Goal: Orford 90+5 (OG)
Booked: Nallo, Mabaya
West Ham United U21s: Awesu, Robinson, Briggs, Casey ©, Mayers, Adiele, Akpata (Fearon 67), Orford, Moore, Rigge (Ajala 67), Swyer
Subs not used: Hooper (GK), Brown
Goal: Mabaya 69 (OG)
Booked: Briggs, Adiele, Swyer
Sent-off: Adiele
Robson: We’re disappointed – but it’s another point on the board
West Ham United U21s lead coach Mark Robson admitted his disappointment at surrendering three points in Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Liverpool – but believes the points being shared was the fairest outcome from the contest at AXA Training Centre – and praised another strong defensive performance on the road.
“It was a bit of a tough one to take,” admitted Robson. “However, I thought we defended all game really, really well, and I thought that was the best part of our game today, our defending, and we just need to improve a little bit on our attacking play.
“We probably didn't play as well with the ball as we have done, and it was just one of those games. I’m happy to come away with something as opposed to nothing, but it's probably a little bit disappointing that we conceded so late.
“I think both goals, two own-goals, were quite strange in terms of how they went in, but we probably didn't make the best of opportunities that we possibly had when we got into certain areas today. But to be pretty fair to Liverpool, they probably had the better moments, and Lanre [Awesu] has made a couple of good saves.
“It keeps the run going for the boys, and we’re now eight undefeated. Their resilience was brilliant today. I thought Ezra Mayers was a standout today. I thought he was outstanding.
“I think we're confident that with the games we've got left, we can keep on doing what we're doing because I think there's a real belief in the players at the moment.
“There's a real confidence in the players, and I'm sure between now and the end of the league campaign, before we go into the play-offs, we'll keep doing what we're doing.”
Mayers: A draw was a fair result, and we will take the positives into the remaining games
Having amassed 29 appearances for the U21s and U18s this season, Ezra Mayers continues to impress in Claret and Blue and was highlighted by his manager as a standout performer on Merseyside.
The 18-year-old certainly played his part in another impressive defensive performance with his rock-solid, no-nonsense defending, while he also made a string of crucial interceptions.
“I think it was a scrappy game,” said Mayers. “We didn’t play our usual free-flowing football, but I think Liverpool had a good press to counteract that. I think the draw was probably a fair result at the end of the day, and we did well to defend in parts, so we can't be too disappointed.
“Once they scored their own-goal for our goal, we thought luck was on our side and maybe we'd win another game, but obviously, we can't win every week, sadly, as we found out today.
“We’re still eight games undefeated, though. The way we've defended over the last eight games, our resilience, and the last-minute tackle, I think it's credit to the team's work ethic and Steve [Potts] for how he sets us up out of formation.
“We've got two home games now, so we can kick on and finish as high up in the league as possible to get a good draw [in the play-offs].”
