Hammers Lose Out To Spurs Double

WEST Ham United Reserves went down 2-1 to Tottenham Hotspur at Dagenham & Redbridge, Elliott Ward's early goal being cancelled out by fine strikes from Andy Reid and Lee Barnard.

In changes to the teamsheet Matt Reed played in goal in place of Shaka Hislop and Jack Jeffery replaced Gavin Williams in attack Erem Kemal was named as the substitute goalkeeper.

Hammers made the perfect start to the game taking the lead after only five minutes. Hogan Ephraim won a corner on the right and took the set-piece himself, swinging over a corner that was met with a thunderous header by Elliott Ward which rocketed into the top corner of the net.

Two minutes later Kyel Reid had a good chance when the ball broke loose in the box and the Hammers winger got across his marker only to stab the ball wide of the Spurs goal.

The vistors did start to find their feet after going behind, but shots from Sean Davis and Jamie O'Hara were a poor return as they began to work some promising openings.

On 26 minutes O'Hara was shown a yellow card for dissent, and he was quickly followed in the referees notebook by Tony Stokes for shirt pulling. From the resulting free-kick Kieran McKenna very nearly got on the end of Charlie Lee's set-piece.

It was a sign of things to come from Spurs when on 32 minutes Andy Reid struck a spectacular equaliser. Picking the ball up 25 yards out Reid ran into the space in front of him before unleashing a wonderful drive that flew past Matt Reed into the top left hand corner to make it 1-1.

Reed then made a fine save to keep the scores level, making a point-black save from the head of Tom Huddlestone.

A minute later and Andy Reid very nearly grabbed a second striking a low drive from the edge of the area that had Matt Reed beaten but rebounded back off the post.

With five minutes to go until half-time another moment of magic from Andy Reid produced another good save from his namesake in the Hammers goal. The Spurs striker flicked the ball up 20 yards from goal and hit a dipping volley that the keeper did well to push over the bar at full stretch.

Tony Stokes might have put Hammers back in front when he hit a brilliant volley at the back post from Reid's cross only to see Spurs goalkeeper Marton Fulop make a smart save down low to send the teams in locked at 1-1 at the break.

HT: 1-1

The second-half saw David Cowley introduced, Hogan Ephraim the player not returning after the break.

With five minutes of the second-half gone another wonderful goal put Spurs 2-1 up. Lee Barnard picked the ball up 25 yards out, turned and curled a shot past Reed into the far corner of the net.

Straight from the re-start Stokes had a chance to pull Hammers level but he shot wide after connecting with Clive Clarke's free-kick.

It was Spurs applying most of the pressure, a fine run and shot from right full-back Chris Riley forcing a good block from Reed and a close range header from Barnard dropping into the keepers arms.

On 67 minutes Zavon Hines replaced the hard-working Jeffery, but still it was Spurs coming forward.

Two minutes later Barnard shook off Chris Cohen, turned away from Shaun Newton but fired just over the West Ham crossbar.

On 76 minutes only the crossbar came between Hammers and an equaliser, Clive Clarke striking a magnificent 25 yard free-kick that had Fulop well beaten until the ball crashed back off the underside of the bar.

With four minutes left Barnard should have increased Spurs' advantage, but fired over from barely six yards out, before David Bellion forced a fine save out of Fulop when put clean through on goal.

It wasn't to be Hammers night though, their four match unbeaten run coming to an end with a 2-1 defeat by Spurs.

WHU: Reed; Newton, Clarke, Cohen, Ward, Fletcher, Bellion, Stokes, Jeffery (Hines 67), Ephraim (Cowley 45), Reid. Subs unused: Kemal (GK), Henry, White.
Bookings: Stokes 27, Clarke 87.
Goal: Ward 5

SPURS: Fulop; Riley, Daniels, O'Hara, Huddlestone, Lee, McKenna, Davis, Barnard, Reid, Hallfredsson. Subs unused: Martin, Forecast (GK), Lewis, Barcham, Dawkins.
Bookings: O'Hara 25, McKenna 27, Riley 78.
Goals: Reid 32, Barnard 49