Tony Carr has reflected on a positive weekend for the Under-18s with victory secured and vital confidence gained before a crucial FA Youth Cup tie at Nottingham Forest on Tuesday week.
The 2-0 away win at Fulham, secured through second-half goals from Anthony Edgar and Balint Bajner, will have done much for confidence after losses in the two fixtures before the derby. "It is a good fillip for us going into the Youth Cup. We have a good feeling that we can string a good team display together rather than what the last couple of performances had suggested. It was the result we needed.
"It was a clean sheet. We are really pleased. The boys are happy with a good performance and a well-deserved victory. When no team has scored in the first half you can never say that you are on top, but I thought we had the better opportunities. They didn't create much.
"At nil-nil it is anyone's game, but we scored five minutes into the second half and that settled us down and we were unlucky not to have increased the lead with a couple of near misses and a few opportunities before we finally got the second. It was a good all-round performance today. It may have not been spectacular but it was a good team performance."
Among those who will have done his chances of playing in the Youth Cup no harm was right-back Filip Modelski - on his first start - with Carr saying he "did very well". The young Hammers will head to the City Ground without midfielder Josh Payne as he will spend a third month on loan at Cheltenham Town.
"Martin Allen wanted him and he wanted to stay. We are happy with that - the long-term development of the player was more to the fore than our need for him in the FA Youth Cup. He is playing league football in big stadiums every week which is all great for his long-term development."
While Payne and Bondz 'Gala, at MK Dons, are gaining experience elsewhere, it affords Carr the chance to give his younger teenagers experience in the side. Carr has taken the opportunity to do just that of late. "We have had the chance to shake things up a bit and look at other players. That is what we are doing. We are not afraid to blood the young ones. It is important that we keep developing."