Wolverhampton Wanderers U21s 1-0 West Ham United U21s
Premier League 2, Aggborough Stadium, Friday 25 October 2024, 7pm BST
A last-gasp goal deep into stoppage time condemned West Ham United U21s to a disappointing 1-0 defeat at Aggborough Stadium, as Wolverhampton Wanderers U21s made it three home league wins on the bounce sealing all three points with their only shot on target.
The young Hammers began with fluid attacking play and composure through midfield, creating a handful of half-chances in the opening exchanges. Sean Moore set up captain Lewis Orford on the edge of the box who registered the game’s first effort on target, but Wolves goalkeeper Lewys Benjamin was equal to it making a comfortable save.
Wolves, meanwhile, posed their own threat from set pieces, with Matt Whittingham narrowly missing the target after a cleverly worked corner kick routine.
Both sides managed to build from the back with confidence but found clear cut opportunities hard to come by. Orford and Moore linked up well once again around the 20-minute mark, creating a promising opening down the right, but when Moore put the ball into the box, Josh Ajala and Kamarai Swyer were unable to find the decisive touch to break the deadlock. Defensively, both teams held firm, leaving the score goalless at the interval.
The young Hammers resumed with renewed energy in the second half, as substitute Favour Fawunmi injected fresh momentum on the wing, finding more success in breaching the Wolves’ defensive line. Shortly after the restart, he broke free and squared the ball to set up Ajala for the Hammers’ biggest chance of the game, but the striker saw his close-range shot comfortably saved. The Hammers continued to press, with Swyer coming close moments later at the far post following a dangerous cross, yet the finishing touch remained elusive.
As the game entered the final stages, Wolves began to build some momentum of their own, sensing that a single goal would likely be decisive. In the dying moments, West Ham’s defence appeared to have weathered the pressure, with Fin Herrick confidently collecting a ball across goal from a dangerous lofted free-kick with just two minutes left.
However, in the fourth minute of stoppage time, Wolves found the breakthrough. A pinpoint corner delivery from Ethan Sutherland to the back post was met by captain Alfie Pond, who nodded the ball back across goal. Substitute Caden Voice pounced, prodding home from close range to secure a last-minute victory for the hosts.
It was a frustrating end to a game that West Ham had largely controlled without reward. The young Hammers will look to put this defeat behind them when they return to action on Tuesday, as they take on Cheltenham Town in their final EFL Trophy group-stage match.
Wolverhampton Wanderers U21s: Benjamin, Ojinnaka, Okoduwa, Mabete, Pond ©, Whittingham, Edozie (Farmer), Ashworth, Angel (Lopes 71), Barnett (Bradbury 71), Sutherland
Subs not used: Reynolds (GK)
Goal: Voice (90+4)
Booked: Voice, Mabete
West Ham United U21s: Herrick, Tarima, Luizão, Mayers, Robinson (Robinson HT), Orford ©, Akpata, Scarles, Moore (Fawunmi HT), Swyer, Ajala (Rigge 85)
Subs not used: Terry (GK), Briggs, Battrum
Booked: Tarima, Mayers
Robson: "We need to stay professional all the way through"
Level on points with Liverpool and Manchester City before tonight’s game, Mark Robson’s men had the opportunity to go temporarily top of the Premier League 2 standings.
Despite controlling large parts of the game and limiting their opponents to very few opportunities, it was a late goal from a set piece that was ultimately their undoing.
“I’m disappointed with the result, but not overly disappointed with the performance,” Robson reflected. “We moved the ball well, but in the final third, we just didn’t have enough to break them down. Our final ball let us down, and that ultimately cost us the game.
“In the last 20 minutes, we drifted away from our style, complicating the game when we didn’t need to, which gave Wolves a bit of energy and momentum. Those wrong choices opened the door for them to create a few half-chances, and, in the end, we conceded from one of those late corners. It was our own undoing. There’s a lesson here for us, we need to stay professional all the way through, for the full 90 plus minutes.”
