ACADEMY Director Tony Carr admitted that the Under-18s 1-0 victory
over Norwich was a game that could have gone either way until Tony
Stokes popped up to grab a late winner for the Hammers.
He said: "To be fair the game could have gone either way,
although we committed more numbers forward.
"Norwich seemed content to sit in there, keep a clean
sheet and try and hit us on the break. But we managed to
smuggle home the winner in the last five minutes to get the win.
"It's satisfying to sit in the dressing room knowing that
you've really had to battle, without a lot of success, and
really carve out a result.
"It wasn't a game with a lot of chances. Norwich probably
had one good opportunity and we had two and a half. Kyel Reid had a
really good effort and Hogan Ephraim too with a free-kick that
their goalkeeper somehow got a hand to.
"Their were a few highlights but in the end we scrambled the
winner and were delighted to take the three points.
"It was certainly pleasing to take three points and a clean
sheet, which helps to rub out the memory of what happened last week
at Ipswich.
"Now we move on to what is possibly going to be our toughest
challenge of the season, away to Southampton. They are an excellent
team and it's going to be difficult. But we'll certainly
give it a go."
"I should be able to field a strong squad for that game
because the next week neither the Youth or Reserve teams are
playing. It'll be a good opportunity to hopefully pick from our
strongest team and really have a go.
Tony's Satisfying Win
17th October 2005