A YOUNG West Ham United Reserve team earned a creditable 1-1 draw
against a British Students XI at Bisham Abbey on Tuesday, Hogan
Ephraim on target for the Hammers.
With the first-team squad playing against TSV 1860 Munich in
Germany, it was a young team that took on the older and physically
superior British Students.
But it was the Hammers who got off to the better start and took the
lead after only five minutes when Ephraim latched onto a long
clearance, raced clear of the Students' defence and drilled the
ball home to make it 1-0.
Jack Collison worked a good opening only to see his shot well saved
by the goalkeeper, and although the Universities side began to
apply more presure as the half drew to a close, Hammers held out
comfortably to lead 1-0 at the break.
HT: 1-0
The second-half saw the Universities side begin to work their way
back into the game.On 53 minutes they had a great chance to
equalise when they were awarded a penalty, but the spot-kick hit
the post and rebounded to safety without the intervention of
Hammers goalkeeper Matt Reed.
Reed was, however, beaten on 63 minutes as the British Students
found an equaliser that they had been threatening for much of the
second-half. A neat through ball split the Hammers defence and the
Universities XI striker made no mistake, firing past Reed to make
it 1-1.
The Students had the best chance to win the game in the closing
stages but the effort was dragged wide as Reed came out to narrow
the angle.
Still, Tony Carr's side could be well pleased with their
afternoon's work out and against their more experienced
opposition emerged with a hard earned draw.
WHU:
First-half: Blackmore; McClenahan, Widdowson, Trialist, White,
Blewitt, Sofiane, Collison, Hines, Ephraim, Welsh.
Second-half: Reed; Andrews, Fitzgerald, Hales, Tomkins, Henry,
Davidson, Cowley, Jeffrey, Trialist, Reid.
Hammers Draw With British Students Xi
28th July 2005