West Ham United U18s 4-2 Fulham U18s
Premier League Cup, Little Heath, Saturday 3 September
West Ham United U18s opened their 2022/23 Premier League Cup campaign with a 4-2 victory over Fulham.
The young Hammers continued their perfect start to the 2022/23 season on Saturday, having won their opening three U18 Premier League South matches, including a 5-4 win at Fulham in their last contest.
Callum Marshall continued his own fine goalscoring form with a hat-trick while Gideon Kodua netted the other for the Hammers in an entertaining contest at Little heath.
The first big chance of the match fell the way of the visitors. The ball was worked well down the left and was cut back to Callum Osmand. His shot from close range looked to be goalbound but was well blocked by Kaelan Casey and scrambled away.
The away side continued to press and a long ball over the top of the West Ham defence found its way to Osmand again. The No10 raced onto the ball and volleyed the bouncing ball towards goal. Fortunately for the Hammers, the shot travelled wide of the post.
Osmand found himself through on goal again minutes later, and this time he was able to find the target. Mason Terry rushed out to close the angle and the West Ham shot stopper made a superb save to keep his side level.
West Ham began to grow into game just before half time. Lewis Orford found space on the edge of the box and unleashed a low driven strike Alfie McNally was down well to tip the ball wide of the left post.
West Ham took the lead four minutes into the second half, moments after Fulham were denied by the woodwork. Orford played a dangerous cross into the box and Marshall dashed in front of the defender and managed to get his toe onto the ball, giving the Hammers the lead.
Buoyed by the finish, the hosts started to dominate. Orford and Gideon Kodua were both unlucky not to score West Ham’s second, and it was Fulham who would strike next.
The ball was played across the face of goal and Osmand’s shot was met at the back post by Ollie Gofford, who couldn’t miss from a yard out.
Keen’s side retook the lead just before the hour mark. The young Irons worked the play well down the left hand side and Oliver Scarles whipped a superb ball into the box, which Marshall powerfully headed the ball into the bottom left corner for his - and his team's second.
The Hammers scored a deserved third seven minutes later. Scarles’ free kick delivery was pinpoint and Kodua’s close range header found the back of the net via a slight deflection.
The game looked to be heading in only one direction, but Fulham were determined to make it a nervy last ten minutes for the Hammers. Works picked the ball up on the left hand side and powered into the box, showing great skills, before powering the ball into the bottom corner.
Despite late Fulham pressure, West Ham scored the sixth and final goal of the match to secure victory in added time.
The visitors had committed several players forwards, and when Fawunmi won the ball back, he drove forwards before sliding the ball to Marshall. The West Ham No7 carried the ball into the box before sliding the ball into the net to secure victory and yet another hat-trick.
West Ham United U18s: Terry, Briggs, Falase, Casey, Scarles, Jones (Fawunmi 51), Orford, Rigge (Bates 80), Marshall, Kodua, Mukasa (Battrum 72)
Subs not used: Akpata
Goals: Marshall 49, 59, 90+4, Kodua 66
