Academy Director Tony Carr has expressed his pride at seeing two young goalkeeping graduates make the step up to first-team level this month.
Czech Republic Under-21 stopper Marek Stech, who has been with the club for four seasons, marked his senior competitive debut with a man of the match performance in the 1-0 Carling Cup second-round victory over Oxford United last week.
Meanwhile, second-year scholar Sam Cowler was included in the first-team squad for the visits of Bolton Wanderers and Oxford after Hungary U21 international Peter Kurucz was laid low with a cruciate knee ligament injury.
Stech has been with the club since the age of 16, when he moved to England from Sparta Prague, and Carr was naturally delighted to see yet another Academy youngster make the grade.
"Marek wasn't technically homegrown, but he came through the youth team for two years and has now had an opportunity to show what he's all about.
"He produced a creditable performance against Oxford, did very well and got man of the match. He made one great save from a long-distance shot. It was all good experience for him and he can only improve."
Cowler has been with the Hammers since he was a child, working his way up through the age-group ranks before becoming a scholar in summer 2009.
After battling Peter Loveday and Deniz Mehmet for the U18s No1 jersey last season, the young goalkeeper faces competition from Mehmet - a Turkey U17 international - as well as first-year scholars David Wootton and Jake Larkins.
Having been part of the first-team picture, albeit for two matches as injury cover, Carr hopes Cowler will continue to improve this season by forcing his way into the reserve-team set-up.
"Sam was the next in line and it was a great experience for him. It will have given him a bit of a taste for the big time and spur him on to want more of it."