Highlights - West Ham United U18s 3-2 Swansea City

West Ham United stormed to the top of the U18 Premier League South table after battling to a 3-2 victory over Swansea City on Saturday.
 
It is the first time this season the young Hammers have reached the summit, as they overhauled previous leaders Arsenal thanks to Korrey Henry’s late winner.
 
Coach Mark Phillips was understandably delighted with the win and hopes they can consolidate their position at the top of the league in the coming weeks.
 
“It’s a great achievement for the boys but now we’re there to be shot at and we have to be prepared for it,” he said.
 
“Swansea came out to match us and were on top at the start of the second half and we have to expect teams to come at us now we are top.
 
“We all expect Villa to be a tough match at the weekend but the boys are full of confidence.”
 
Head coach Steve Potts welcomed back Conor Coventry to the starting eleven after he helped the Republic of Ireland U17s make it through to the elite phase of UEFA European Championships Qualifying during the week. The Hammers were still without winger Anthony Scully though through illness.
 
The home side started the contest on the front foot and took the lead inside ten minutes. Joe Powell’s fantastic delivery was headed home by Rosaire Longelo for his first of the season.
 
Swansea equalised shortly after when keeper Rihards Matrevics’s clearance cannoned off Liam Cullen and into the net.
 
Visitors’ keeper Alex Lang was forced into three superb saves as West Ham searched for the lead for the second time, before Powell turned architect once again with another inviting cross being headed in, this time, by Jake Eggleton.
 
The away side hit back just after half-time after Cullen fired home his second but Henry snatched the three points in the dying embers, finishing brilliantly from a Ben Johnson free-kick.
 
“We started off very well and shouldn’t have conceded straight after scoring but we showed great resolve to come back,” added Phillips.
 
“Swansea obviously scored within minutes of half-time and were then on top. We changed our system and went to a 3-5-2 formation and it worked.
 
“Korrey has done really well in the last two games and hopefully he can continue scoring and help us stay at the top.”

West Ham: Matrevics; Eggleton, Akinola (c), Wells, Hannam; Coventry, Lewis; Johnson, Powell, Longelo; Henry.

Subs not used: Barrett, Forde, Constantinou, Hamilton, Alese.

Goals: Longelo, Eggleton, Henry.

Swansea: Lang, Davies, Blake, Price, Cabango, Cooper, Fox (Darame, 54), Jones, Cullen (c), Dulca (Berry, 66), Edwards (Roberts, 75).

Subs not used: Williams, Treacy.

Goals: Cullen (2)