Alex Dyer was pleased with the display of his young West Ham United XI in Saturday's 1-0 pre-season defeat at Thurrock.
A youthful reserve-team squad containing no fewer than 13 Academy scholars were edged out by a spectacular first-half goal from Fleet midfielder and former Hammers schoolboy Matt Bodkin.
Despite falling behind early on, Dyer's youngsters fought back strongly and could easily have stolen a draw or even at win at Ship Lane.
Substitutes Danny Subuola and Danny Purdy both went close, seeing efforts either blocked on the goalline or fly inches wide of the Thurrock goal.
"The boys did well," confirmed Dyer. "I'm happy with their performance. They worked hard. We played two different systems - the first half was a 4-3-3 and in the second half I went with three at the back with two wing-backs, three in midfield and two up front, which worked well.
"We had different personnel but the movement was quite good. Dan Subuola, who came on, should have had a hat-trick, but the most important thing was that most of the lads got 45 minutes under their belts. All that needs to come now is that little bit of match-fitness and sharpness in certain areas.
"Everyone needs to sharpen up. The centre-halves need to sharpen up on their turns and play good balls into feet, the strikers need to sharpen up around the goal and have better touches and hold the ball up, but that comes with training and playing. Hopefully, by the time the reserve league kicks off, those boys will be all right. It was a good workout for us today.
"It was a great goal, a great strike that caught our keeper off his line. I don't think he had a chance of saving it. It was just one of those where he has caught it sweetly and it was a good goal.
"For us, it would have been nice to come here and get a result but it's not important. The important thing was that the young lads worked hard. We had a young side with an average age of 18, so I was happy with their performance."
With the first-team at a training camp in Germany, Dyer and his players will enjoy a week of training at Chadwell Heath before travelling to League Two side Burton Albion next Saturday.
Both the manager and his players are looking forward hugely to tackling Paul Peschisolido's team at the state-of-the-art Pirelli Stadium.
"We're going to have a similar squad going against a Football League side and they're a good side. Again, it's going to be a tester for us and will be a different kind of a game. With a week of training under our belts we'll be further down the line, but it's going to be a test for them against senior professionals who have been around.
"I have no problem with that, though, as I've every confidence that they will always give 100 per cent. Since I've been reserve-team manager, there has only been one or two games when they've let themselves down. Apart from that, I've been delighted.
"I'm looking forward to it. It's good for them and it's good for me - it's good for my growth. It's important for them to come up against players who have been playing at that level for a few years and hopefully both they and I will learn and we can all push on together."