Reserves face Chelsea test

Alex Dyer has challenged his young players to rise to the occasion when they take on Chelsea in the Barclays Premier Reserve League this evening.

West Ham United welcome the Blues to Bishop's Stortford FC's Woodside Park stadium for a 7pm kick-off, with the Hammers hoping to build on last week's impressive goalless draw at reigning champions Aston Villa.

Manager Dyer will hand starts to Zavon Hines - back in action following eleven months out with a serious knee injury - and England U17 winger Blair Turgott, who has been in impressive form for Tony Carr's youth team this term.

"Like I said last week after the game at Villa, although we didn't get the result the performance was good and we're hoping to carry that on against a decent Chelsea side.

"I'm looking for some of the young boys to shine. Zavon will start the game and we will try to get him 60 to 70 minutes on his way back to full fitness. Young Blair will also start and play his first game in the reserves.

"I'm also looking for the older ones who have been round the reserves for a while now to step up a bit more - obviously I'm looking at Olly Lee, Ahmed Abdulla and Frank Nouble, who is now back at West Ham and I want him to start hitting the score-sheet. This game is against his old side, so I'm expecting him and the others to step up to the plate."

Fifth-placed West Ham and fourth-placed Chelsea go into Wednesday's fixture level on ten points in the league's Southern group, although both teams have games in hand on the three clubs above them - Aston Villa, Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion.

Kick-off at Woodside Park is at 7pm.