West Ham United U21s 5-1 Southampton U21s
Premier League 2, Rush Green Stadium, Friday 23 August 2024, 7pm BST

West Ham United U21s delivered an emphatic performance in their first home game of the season, overpowering Southampton U21s 5-1, surging to the top of the Premier League 2 table.

The Hammers were clinical in their finishing and put in a solid defensive play, securing their second consecutive win in style.

The match began with a cautious approach from both sides, as Southampton controlled the early possession without creating any clear-cut chances. Despite the visitors’ control of the ball, it was West Ham who seized the initiative in the eighth minute when Ollie Scarles opened the scoring. A pinpoint long ball from Lewis Orford found Kamarai Swyer on the wing, who worked the ball inside to Scarles, who made no mistake, calmly slotting the ball into the bottom corner to put his side ahead.

Southampton thought they had equalised ten minutes later, only to be denied by the linesman’s offside flag. This proved to be a turning point, as West Ham began to assert more control over the game. Sean Moore nearly doubled the lead shortly after, but his shot sailed just over the bar.

The Hammers’ persistence paid off five minutes from half-time when Moore did indeed find the back of the net. Winning possession in midfield, West Ham broke quickly, with Swyer threading a pass to Orford, who navigated his way through the Southampton defence before laying it off to Moore. The forward finished with authority, scoring his second goal in as many games to give West Ham a comfortable 2-0 lead going into the interval.

The young Hammers came out strong in the second half, quickly adding a third goal in the 52nd minute. Scarles, involved once again, played a brilliant pass that split the Southampton defense, allowing Josh Ajala to race through on goal. Ajala kept his composure and slotted home to put the Hammers firmly in control. Just two minutes later, Ajala was at the double, embarking on a dazzling solo run past three defenders before finishing coolly to make it 4-0.

Although Southampton captain Joe O'Brien-Whitmarsh pulled one back in the 69th minute, West Ham remained untroubled. They sealed victory five minutes from time when Scarles netted his second of the game, following a well-executed counter-attack initiated by substitute Tyron Akpata.

The final whistle confirmed a dominant 5-1 win for West Ham United U21s, meaning Mark Robson’s side go into matchday three atop the Premier League 2 standings.
 

West Ham United U21s: Herrick, Battrum, Casey © (Tarima 89), Luizão, Mayers, Adiele (Akpata 83), Orford, Scarles, Moore, Swyer (Dolaghan 89), Ajala (Rigge 67)
Subs not used: Terry (GK)

Goals: Scarles (8, 86), Moore (40), Ajala (51, 53)

Booked: Casey, Adiele, Scarles, Moore

Robson: "It was like Brighton, but even better"

Lead coach Mark Robson was unsurprisingly thrilled with his squad's performance, as the young Hammers delivered a commanding victory.

With standout performances across the pitch, West Ham raced into an early lead and maintained control throughout the game. Plenty of positives for Robson and his coaching staff to reflect on.

"I thought we were excellent," he said proudly. "From one to eleven, to the finishers from the bench, everyone performed exceptionally well. The young lads who are still scholars, as well as the more experienced players, everyone stepped up for the team.

“It was like the Brighton game, but even better. Our finishing was sublime, but I also want to highlight our defending, the work Steve Potts and the coaching staff are doing is really paying off."

Ajala: "I was annoyed with myself in the first half, so I had to make sure I scored twice in the second”

A regular on the scoresheet for the U18s, it was only a matter of time before Josh Ajala made his mark for the U21s.

His first Premier League 2 goal came in style, quickly followed by an even more impressive effort just two minutes later. After a challenging pre-season and a couple of goalless competitive matches, Ajala is now well and truly off the mark for this campaign. As the saying goes, when it rains, it pours.

"I was annoyed with myself for not scoring in the first half, so I had to make sure I scored two in the second. The first goal came off a brilliant pass from Ollie, putting me in behind the defence, it was all about staying focused and finishing it off.

“The second goal just felt right; I picked up the ball, everything clicked, and I was able to drop a few defenders. It felt brilliant."

Discussing his transition to the U21s setup, Ajala added: "I feel like I'm getting to know the players better every day, and we're starting to understand each other more. Those goals today are a result of that, and I hope there’s plenty more to come in the future."

Up Next

The U21s will return to action next Friday when they host Norwich City at Rush Green Stadium, aiming to make it three wins from three to start the league campaign.