Reading 3-1 West Ham United U21s
EFL Trophy Southern Group D, Select Car Leasing Stadium, Tuesday 30 September, 7pm BST
West Ham United U21s were left to reflect on what might have been after a controversial evening in the Vertu Motors Trophy saw them fall 3-1 to Reading at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.
With three points on the board after matchday one, the young Hammers made a bright start and wasted no time in stamped their authority on proceedings. Captain Airidas Golambeckis went direct, Callum Marshall battled to win a loose ball, and when Emeka Adiele’s effort from outside the box was parried, Marshall reacted first to tuck home his third goal of the competition after just nine minutes.
Confident in possession and resolute without it, Mark Robson’s side looked comfortable. Ezra Mayers and Rayan Oyebade were particularly impressive at the back, while Marshall’s tireless pressing high up the pitch set the tone. West Ham might have added to their lead before the interval, but even without a second goal, they carried a deserved advantage into half-time and looked well set to push on.
The match, however, turned on its head almost immediately after the restart. A stray pass was seized upon by Reading and, although Tom Wooster made the initial save, the referee awarded a penalty for minimal contact between Mayers and Jeremiah Okine-Peters before showing the defender a red card. Justice seemed served when Wooster dived low to his right to deny Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan from the spot, but the balance of the game was irreversibly changed.
With ten men, West Ham found themselves under sustained pressure and eventually conceded the equaliser on 63 minutes, Jacob Borgnis pouncing from close range after a set piece wasn’t cleared. Yet the young Hammers still threatened on the break, Adiele going close with a shot that whistled past the post and Marshall working tirelessly as the lone striker to give his side a foothold.
Just when it looked as though they might hold firm for penalties, misfortune struck again. With only minutes left, the referee pointed to the spot for a second time, penalising Oyebade after Sean Patton went down in the area. This time Mark O’Mahony converted, leaving the Hammers chasing the game in the closing stages. A third goal in stoppage time from Okine-Peters put a harsh gloss on the scoreline, and even then West Ham came within a whisker of pulling one back when substitute Gabriel Caliste miscued from close range.
The result was a cruel outcome for a side that had looked composed, compact, and threatening until forced to play for the entire second half a man down. For long spells, Robson’s men defended bravely and continued to create chances despite their numerical disadvantage, but ultimately two contentious penalty decisions and a red card proved decisive.
The young Hammers will look to channel that disappointment when they next turn out in the Vertu Trophy to face Swindon Town with qualification to the knockout stages on the line.
Reading: Stevens, Abrefa (Beacroft 90+1, Elliot, Ehibhatiomhan (Patton 80), Rushesha (Sackey 80), O’Mahony, Stickland ©, Ryan, Okine-Peters, Borgnis (Duah 80), Spencer (Tuma 61)
Subs not used: Rowley (GK), Bowdery
Goals: Borgnis 64, O’Mahony (pen) 88, Okine-Peters 90+7
Booked: Abrefa, Borgnis
West Ham United U21s: Wooster, Golambeckis ©, Oyebade, Mayers, Battrum (Caliste 90+12), Kanté, Souček, Scarles (Medine 66), Fearon, Adiele, Marshall
Subs not used: Byrne (GK), Brown, Akpata, Sowunmi
Goal: Marshall 9
Booked: Scarles, Souček, Golambeckis, Adiele
Sent off: Mayers
Robson: Really disappointed with the penalty and the sending-off decision
Lead Coach Mark Robson admitted his frustration at how the contest turned in Reading, with two controversial refereeing decisions leaving the young Hammers facing an uphill battle when they had been on course for qualification.
“We were good first half. I think we started off quite well, although we had a little spell where we lost a bit of control. They caused us problems with lots of crosses into the box, something we don’t often get in U21s football, but the lads dealt with it really well. Defensively I thought we were excellent. Coming in at half-time 1-0 up, looking okay, we felt we were in a good place.
“I’m really disappointed with the penalty and the sending-off decision. I’ve got to say it was very, very soft, but it happened and we had to deal with it after that. To be fair, we thought we were going to hang on. It was very late when they scored the second, and we’d been backs to the wall for most of the second half. It became difficult for us, but it was a good challenging game for the boys.
“We dug in and defended well. On the bench you start thinking about penalties and a bonus point, and if we’d got to that it would have been brilliant for us. The resilience of the boys I thought was excellent, and the work ethic was there again. But it just wasn’t to be tonight. The extra man and the extra balls going into the box made it hard for us, and there were a lot of tired bodies at the end of the game. It’s a shame we didn’t go on, but we were really proud of the players’ performance.”
Robson also praised the impact of returning graduates Ollie Scarles and Callum Marshall, alongside the experience of first-team midfielder Tomáš Souček, keeping match fitness up while he serves a red card suspension.
“We had Cal and Ollie with us. We had to limit Ollie’s minutes just because he’s had very little game time, but we want to keep him sharp in case he’s called upon. I thought he applied himself really well, as did Cal. Cal just gives his best every game and every training session, he’s great for some of the younger lads to look at, because his whole demeanour rubs off on them.
“We’re really grateful to have had Greg Lincoln with us to support the first-team academy boys. He kept the boys ticking over for us after they travelled to Everton, and ready for tonight's game, so we really appreciate it.
“I also thought the boys at the back were very good, Rayan [Oyebade], Ezra [Mayers], Airidas [Golambeckis]. Tom Wooster made a couple of excellent saves and his distribution was decent too. Tomáš Souček came in and gave us a lot of experience, which really helped. Overall there were some really good performances.
“I’m really disappointed overall with the refereeing. In the end, Reading probably came out worthy winners, but when you’re down to ten men straight after half-time it becomes really difficult.”