West Ham United U18 v Newcastle United U18
FA Youth Cup fifth round
Boleyn Ground
Wednesday 3 February 2010
Kick-off: 7pm
Referee: A Davies
Final score - West Ham United 0-3 Newcastle United
94 mins - The final whistle is blown by referee Davies. A full match report will appear on whufc.com shortly.
93 mins - Hall runs at the back four and shoots left-footed, but the ball flies well over the top into the sea of claret seats in the Bobby Moore Stand.
90 mins - Into added-time and I'm afraid the game is over. Carr will be happy with his players' refusal to give up, despite the conceding of two goals early in the second half.
88 mins - A second change for the hosts as Montano is replaced by Purdy.
85 mins - After a long delay, Wearen's penalty is straight down the middle and blocked by Alnwick's legs before bouncing clear.
84 mins - A chance for West Ham to get a goal back as Wearen's shot is blocked by a hand. No doubt about the decision, to be honest.
81 mins - Moncur comes within a lick of paint of reducing the deficit, slamming the free-kick against the crossbar. That would have been a sublime strike.
80 mins - A slight flashpoint in the midfield as a Newcastle player claims he has been fouled unfairly by Abdulla. It appears that, following a short melee, it is going to be the Hammers who have a free-kick 30 yards from goal.
75 mins - We are having another break in goalmouth action here. Newcastle appear to have settled for a three-goal lead and are sitting back and inviting the Hammers to try and break them down.
71 mins - A change for West Ham. Turgott comes on for Vose for the remaining 20 minutes or so. It looks like one of the Newcastle defenders has got cramp, so there is a short stoppage for him to receive some running repairs.
68 mins - Airey is booked for kicking the ball away after ignoring the assistant referee's flag for offside. Harsh but fair.
66 mins - Montano and Abdulla both see their efforts blocked inside the penalty area before Brown's cross drifts too long and is held by Alnwick. Credit to the Hammers, as they have not given up, but the clock is against them.
65 mins - No sign of any changes from Carr as yet, although Purdy and Subuola have been loosening up on the touchline.
64 mins - Nice football again from West Ham. Modelski and Hall combine to find Moncur, but the central midfielder's curler is easily held by Alnwick.
63 mins - McGorrigan is the player replaced as Adjei comes on.
62 mins - Newcastle are getting a substitute ready to come on. It's the No12 Adjei who is being readied on the touchline.
60 mins - Alnwick hammers the ball upfield and Brown is forced to concede a corner at the other end. The ball is curled into the box and Loveday rises high to claim the ball above his head.
59 mins - West Ham clear from a Newcastle corner and Wearen picks up possession wide on the right. He does well to draw a challenge from McGorrigan and goes down, leading to a yellow card for the Magpies midfielder. Abdulla curls the free-kick over, but Craig's header floats through harmlessly to Alnwick.
58 mins - Nice football from the hosts as Vose, Brown and Moncur work the ball from one side of the pitch to the other. Wearen drives a low cross along the six-yard line, but there is nobody there to apply the finishing touch.
56 mins - Fine ball from Wearen finds Abdulla unmarked in the Newcastle box, but his shot is blocked by Alnwick and goes out for a corner, which is headed clear at the near post.
54 mins - That should really have been 4-0, but Loveday spreads himself and makes a fantastic save to deny Airey with his legs. It is all Newcastle at the moment, to be honest. West Ham need to re-group and try and find the goal that will bring them back into the tie.
51 mins - GOAL! That may well be that. Abdulla gives the ball away 30 yards from goal. It breaks to Inman and the Australian makes no mistake from 20 yards, rifling a low shot into the bottom left-hand corner.
50 mins - Brown finds Hall with a clever pass, but the England U17 man's shot is blocked.
49 mins - GOAL! Airey latches on to a through ball and holds off Sanchez before slotting the ball under Loveday and into the far corner. West Ham have it all to do now.
48 mins - Wearen was obviously listening as he wins a free-kick just a yard outside the penalty area on the left. Vose takes but his free-kick is low and easily cleared back to him, but again his cross is not good enough and Newcastle belt the ball upfield.
47 mins - Tony Carr is out on the edge of his technical area, as he was for most of the first half. No doubt he will have told his players how important it is that they start the second half well.
46 mins - The second half gets underway. It may be stating the obvious, but West Ham must score or their FA Youth Cup challenge will be over. No changes from either side at the interval.
Half-time score - West Ham United 0-1 Newcastle United
45 mins - We're going to have at least one minute of added-time. Vose wins a free-kick wide on the left. The midfielder curls the ball in, it is headed clear to Abdulla, whose volley flies up into the air. The ball is headed out to Moncur, who smashes a first-time shot just wide of the far post from 25 yards. Very, very close to an equaliser. Alnwich smashes the ball upfield and the half-time whistle is blown.
44 mins - Newcastle come within a foot of doubling their lead. Right-back Tavernier curls in a superb cross to the near post where Inman meets it with his head, only to nod the ball just wide of the near post.
43 mins - West Ham force a corner. Vose curls the ball in and goalkeeper Alnwick flaps. Modelski swings his left leg at the ball but fails to make contact before Newcastle clear the danger.
37 mins - Inches from a second goal for the Magpies. A cross from the left is half-cleared by Brown straight to McDermott, whose shot takes a slight deflection before kissing the crossbar on the way over the top. The resulting corner is cleared.
36 mins - Another chance for a shot on goal here as West Ham win a set piece in the centre of the pitch 25 yards from goal, only for Hall's shot to hit the wall. Newcastle break clear and have a three-on-two situation, only for McGorrigan to shoot from all of 45 yards. His team-mates look at him with steely eyes. I think he should have passed, there...
35 mins - A let-off for the Hammers there. Modelski's back-pass is short and Airey nearly benefits, only for Loveday to race from his goal and challenge the striker in the nick of time.
33 mins - The slight lull in goalmouth action gives me time to tell you that there is a good crowd in again tonight. Nearly 1,000 fans turned out against QPR in the previous round, and we might have beaten that figure tonight. Among the spectators are Gianfranco Zola, Steve Clarke, Kevin Keen and first teamers James Tomkins and Jack Collison.
31 mins - Newcastle have come into the game a bit in recent minutes, but neither team has created a chance for a while now.
26 mins - Agony for Craig there as he makes a fine challenge initially to deny Airey, only for the striker to regain possession and be fouled by the Hammers centre-back. Craig makes up for his error by making a brilliant headed clearance from the resulting free-kick. A Newcastle player is injured in the goalmouth and requires some treatment for what looks like a facial injury.
22 mins - The Hammers win a free-kick in a dangerous position just outside the Newcastle box. Abdulla lines it up and belts the ball wide of the far post.
20 mins - How on earth West Ham are not at least level in this game is beyond me. They are completely outplaying Newcastle, but just cannot find a path past goalkeeper Alnwick.
19 mins - The Hammers are still well on top. Hall tricks his way past a couple of challenges before sending a rasping shot just wide.
17 mins - West Ham come back strongly after falling behind. Wearen picks the ball up and finds Montano with a lovely volleyed pass, only for his shot to fly wide of the target.
14 mins - GOAL! Out of nowhere, Newcastle are ahead. Vose concedes a corner, which is curled in low to the near post. Loveday and Modelski scramble the ball off the line, only for the ball to fall to Folan six yards out. The No5 smashes the ball goalwards and it is blocked by a defender. However, the assistant referee flags and awards the goal. From here, it looks like he got the decision right.
13 mins - Hall this time, driving at the Newcastle defence before shooting a couple of yards wide from the edge of the penalty area.
12 mins - Another close call. Wearen starts the move by finding Brown on the left. The full-back gets the ball out of his feet with one touch and clips a low cross to Montano, only for the Colombian's shot on the turn to be blocked.
9 mins - Fantastic break from the hosts as Brown intercepts and finds Wearen in acres of space in the centre circle. The Irish youngster spreads the ball wide to Hall, who takes on his marker before clipping the ball narrowly wide of the far post. Encouraging signs for Carr's youngsters.
7 mins - Newcastle finally launch an attack, but Tavernier's cross finds Airey in an offside position. It wouldn't have mattered, though, as Craig makes a fine interception.
6 mins - Vose is full of running in the midfield. He finds Modelski wide on the right, but the Pole's deep cross eludes Montano and Hall.
3 mins - West Ham are on top early on, playing some beautiful passing football on the Boleyn Ground pitch. Vose and Montano have already both had a run at the Magpies back four.
1 mins - West Ham get us under way on a clear, still night in east London.
7pm - The two teams are out on the pitch ready for kick-off. West Ham will attack the Sir Trevor Brooking Stand end in the opening 45 minutes.
West Ham United's Under-18s will continue their quest for FA Youth Cup glory with the visit of Newcastle United to the Boleyn Ground on Wednesday evening.
Academy Director Tony Carr's side have been in fine form in recent months, losing just three of their last 13 matches in all competitions.
Plymouth Argyle and Queens Park Rangers have both fallen victim to the Hammers in the FA Youth Cup, while Carr's youngsters have also risen to fourth in the FA Premier Academy League Group A standings.
Midfielder Nicky Barrett is West Ham's only notable absentee with an ankle injury. Barrett's place is taken by England U16 international Dominic Vose, who was in superb form at Chelsea in the Hammers' last league outing on 23 January.
Visitors Newcastle have reached the last 16 courtesy of victories over Doncaster Rovers and Reading, with Australian youngster Bradden Inman and striker Philip Airey both catching the eye.
The reward for tonight's victors is a home tie with either Hull City or Crystal Palace in the quarter-finals. This evening's tie must be settled on the night, with extra time and penalties if required.
West Ham have won the FA Youth Cup on three previous occasions, in 1963, 1981 and 1999, while Newcastle have lifted the trophy twice, in 1962 and 1985.
West Ham United: Loveday, Modelski, Sanchez, Craig, Brown, Vose (Turgott 71), Moncur, Abdulla, Wearen, Montano (Purdy 88), Hall
Subs: Cowler, Driver, Lampe, Subuola, Fanimo
Newcastle United: Alnwick, Tavernier, McDermott, Henderson, Dummett, Nzuzi, Folan, Inman, McGorrigan (Adjei 63), Airey, Newton
Subs: Robinson, Henderson, Page, Spear