Match Report - Portsmouth Reserves V West Ham Reserves - 07 Oct 2003

West Ham reserves were beaten 5-1 by Portsmouth on Tuesday night - after Steve Bywater was unlucky to be sent off.

What is more, Don Hutchison sustained an ankle injury - but will still join up with the Scotland party, after originally being left out, as he just has a slight knock.

Daryl McMahon equalised after Portsmouth took the lead, and Roger Cross says:

"Shaun Byrne had a good chance to put us 2-1 up but put it wide and on the half hour Jason Roberts, who was up front with Mark Burchill, was played in.

"We thought the offence was outside the box and it was offside and there is a photo to prove that.

"But the referee sent Steve off anyway, I took Sofiane off to allow young Matthew Reed to come on and they scored the pen.

"In injury time they made it 3-1 and 30 seconds into the second half Don had to go off and Greg Pearson came on.

"The lads tried hard but it was always going be an uphill climb and a difficult situation to retrieve.

"But Don's injury, just above the ankle, is okay, and he is still joining up as it is not as bad as first thought - but he is still getting his fitness back and needs games.

"Richard Garcia did well up front and I was pleased with him."

TEAM: Bywater, McLenehan, Tattam, Byrne, Ferdinand, Blewitt, Garcia, Sofiane [Reed], Noble, Hutchison [Pearson], McMahon D.

Subs unused: Lumsden, Laws, Bunce, Wright.