Reserves face Tuesday test

West Ham United will maintain their perfect home Barclays Premier League South record if they can overcome Chelsea at Bishop's Stortford on Tuesday night.

Alex Dyer's side have already beaten West Bromwich Albion, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur on home soil this term and could climb to second in the table with victory over the Blues. With the likes of Diego Tristan and Jonathan Spector available, Dyer is hoping to record yet another success at Woodside Park.

"Hopefully we can get a result against Chelsea and finish the year on a high note. We could even end up maybe second in the league with a win which is important," said the reserve team coach.

Freddie Sears, who scored twice in last Thursday's 3-2 win over a Major League Soccer select side, is also in Dyer's squad. Academy products Bondz 'Gala, fresh from a successful loan spell at League One high-fliers MK Dons, and Danny Kearns, who notched a brace in a thrilling 2-2 FA Premier Academy League draw with the Blues last Friday, are also in contention.

Dyer, who was named in his new role earlier this season, is relishing the opportunity to see his side in action again. The former Hull City and Charlton Athletic defender was promoted from his former job as the club's fitness coach in September and has not looked back since.

"I love it. It's always what I wanted to do," said the 43-year-old. "Even though I know I've been doing the fitness work for the past five or six years I've always been hoping that the opportunity would come around and someone would offer me a job to do this side of things. I'm just glad I grabbed hold of it and I'm learning every day.

"I hope the young boys who I train every day like what I'm putting into their heads. I'm hoping that, come the end of the season, I can assess myself and say whether I've done well enough or not. At this present time I'm enjoying it."

Kieron Dyer and Matthew Etherington, who both came through last Thursday's match unscathed on their respective returns, were both laid low with the flu over the weekend, missed training on Monday and are expected to sit out.

The Hammers will end the year in second place should they beat Chelsea - avenging the 2-0 defeat they suffered at Brentford's Griffin Park in mid-September - and Arsenal and Portsmouth draw in the evening's other fixture.

Chelsea will be under new management tonight following Brendan Rodgers' departure to manage Championship side Watford. Into his place has stepped Paul Clement, who will be attempting to end a run of three consecutive defeats.

The Blues prepared for Tuesday's game by taking on Spartak Moscow, who are training at the club's Cobham headquarters ahead of Thursday night's UEFA Cup tie at Tottenham Hotspur, with the Russians running out 2-0 winners.

Admission to tonight's match, which kicks-off at 7pm, is free to Hammers season ticket holders and £5 for adults and £2 for concessions.

For the latest Barclays Premier Reserve League South standings, click here