WEST HAM UNITED v MANCHESTER UNITED
BARCLAYS PREMIER RESERVE LEAGUE
FRIDAY 1 APRIL 2011
KICK-OFF: 2PM
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West Ham United reserves 0-1 Manchester United reserves
94 mins - That's full-time. It was a keenly-contested game, but one scrappy goal was enough for Manchester United to take all three points. West Ham's players look very disappointed. They didn't do a lot wrong, but have still ended up on the losing side. One major plus was the appearance of Collison, who showed plenty of glimpses of the talent he undoubtedly possesses. The reserves return to action on 12 April when Aston Villa are the visitors to Woodside Park for a 7pm kick-off. Before then, exclusive post-match reaction and highlights will appear on whufc.com and West Ham TV soon.
93 mins - Less than 60 seconds left now and the ball is deep inside the West Ham half. Looks like a second successive defeat unless something miraculous happens.
91 mins - Collison shows fine control again before poking the ball through to Ilunga, but he's offside. He crosses and Sears sees his shot saved by Johnstone. It wouldn't have counted.
91 mins - We are into the first of at least three added minutes.
89 mins - Tombides tries to win a corner off Thorpe, but the ball goes straight behind for a goal kick.
88 mins - Time is running out as Abdulla and Collison combine before the former crosses from the left. Vose wins the header and it's on goal, but is an easy claim for Johnstone.
86 mins - Moncur delivers a decent free-kick that eludes Ilunga and bounces into the arms of Johnstone. Any sort of touch would surely have taken the ball into the net. Unlucky.
85 mins - Sears is brought down by Thorpe about 35 yards out. Before the free-kick is taken, Edgar is replaced by Dominic Vose.
83 mins - Good hold-up play from Tombides wide on the right. He lays the ball back to Moncur, who loses his marker and shoots, but the ball flies over the crossbar and the stand behind the goal.
81 mins - GOAL! That's a soft goal to concede. Norwood clips the corner to the near post where Stech challenges a host of players. The ball drops to Keane, whose shot loops over the head of Ilunga and into the net. Lingard is on for King.
80 mins - Sears released Tombides down the left channel. He takes a touch and looks up and tries to pick out Moncur, but Thorpe is there to stab the ball behind. The corner is cleared and Vermijl streaks past Abdulla. He cuts the ball back for Tunnicliffe, but Ilunga is there to block the ball behind. Corner.
79 mins - The sun is shining now but so far the improved weather hasn't brought us any goals. This has been competitive, but there has been a lack of goalmouth action at both ends. Tunnicliffe needs some repairs to his right hand. I think Faubert accidentally trod on him a minute or two back.
77 mins - Collison draws some cheers as he does a couple of drag-backs to lose two Manchester United players inside his own half. Quality play from the Wales midfielder.
76 mins - Faubert heads behind for a corner. Norwood chips the ball up to the near post where Stech claims. Manchester United come again moments later and Ilunga challenges King and the ball rolls behind.
73 mins - The youngsters over in the opposite stand to me are singing 'West Ham', but it's the away side who are inspired as King shoots powerfully from 25 yards. Stech tips over for a corner. McNaughton clears and Sears wins a throw near halfway.
72 mins - Wooton shoves Tombides to the ground. Free-kick about 35 yards out. Faubert delivers and the ball drops to McNaughton, but his pass to Edgar is mis-placed and the visitors clear.
71 mins - Moncur releases Collison. He carries the ball 30 yards but is caught in two minds. His cross is easily claimed by Johnstone.
69 mins - Petrucci works some space about 25 yards out, but he doesn't catch his shot strongly and Stech collects.
68 mins - King flashes an angled drive across the face of goal and behind, drawing 'Oooohs' from many of the 1,106 fans inside Woodside Park.
64 mins - Faubert crosses low towards Collison, but Wooton sticks out a leg and diverts the ball behind for a corner. Faubert delivers and the ball is cleared. The Red Devils break and, although McNaughton clears the initial danger, Abdulla is caught in possession and nearly made to pay by Dudgeon. McNaughton blocks and Ilunga finally clears.
62 mins - Petrucci cuts inside on to his right foot and shoots, but it's blocked by the knees of McNaughton.
60 mins - It's Driver who is replaced by Collison. Faubert goes to right-back. Cole is replaced by Petrucci for the visitors.
59 mins - Collison is preparing to come on. He has his No14 shirt on and is having a quick drink. He has a big smile on his face. Manchester United are also preparing a substitute.
57 mins - Chances at both ends in the space of 30 seconds. First, Keane gets past Ilunga and crosses, but Eyjolfsson clears with a diving header. Edgar then releases Faubert, who crosses low to the edge of the box. Tombides shoots, but it's blocked by Wooton.
56 mins - Collison has plenty of supporters here this afternoon. Zavon Hines, James Tomkins and Danny Gabbidon are all here to cheer their mate on.
54 mins - King causes trouble down the left and both West Ham centre-backs are out of position when the ball is crossed low to Tunnicliffe. He takes a touch 22 yards out before shooting, but Ilunga blocks and Abdulla slides in to clear.
52 mins - Collison is warming-up to my right. The word is that he will play between 20 and 30 minutes.
51 mins - Two rows in front of me are Avram Grant, Paul Groves and Kevin Keen. Goalkeeper coach David Coles is also here. The quartet travelled up the M11 after first-team training was completed at lunchtime.
50 mins - Edgar chips the ball over to the byline for Driver, who volleys a fine cross into the mixer. It bounces up off Thorpe but drops to a Manchester United player and the visitors clear their lines.
48 mins - McNaughton is penalised for an aerial challenge on King. Norwood sends the free-kick over and it flashes through the crowded penalty area and bounces out for a goal kick.
46 mins - Driver almost has a moment to forget as he completely misses his kick on the edge of the penalty area. Thankfully, Stech is alert and comes out and picks up ahead of Tunnicliffe.
46 mins - Sears and Tombides get the second 45 minutes up and running after a short delay while we wait for Abdulla and Edgar. The sun is trying to come out here as the second half begins. No changes from either manager at half-time.
Half-time score - West Ham United reserves 0-0 Manchester United reserves
46 mins - Abdulla heads clear to Tunnicliffe, who tries an ambitious first-time volley from 25 yards. It bounces well wide of the left-hand post. Stech clears upfield and that's half-time.
45 mins - Tunnicliffe tries to dink a ball over McNaughton for Vermijl, but Eyjolfsson is there to nod the ball safely into the arms of Stech. We will have at least one minute of added time.
42 mins - Tombides shows a nice turn of pace, spinning away from Wooton before shooting from about 25 yards. The shot is always rising, though, and flies into the front of the stand.
41 mins - Moncur wins a corner, but it's taken short and wasted. King runs 50 yards with the ball but his cross is cut out by McNaughton and Driver clears.
40 mins - Close! Sears finds Edgar and he accelerates between two defenders before pulling the ball back, but it's between Tombides and Faubert. Moments later, Edgar crosses again, but the angle is against Driver as he heads wide.
39 mins - Faubert robs Dudgeon and Edgar and Tombides are two-on-two, but the former is held back and West Ham have a free-kick 40 yards out. Faubert curls it over, but it's too deep and bounces behind for a goal kick.
37 mins - Moncur holds off Vermijl and finds Driver, who releases Faubert down the right. He crosses and Wooton concedes a corner. The delivery is deep to Edgar, who retrieves and crosses high, but Johnstone collects.
34 mins - The threat of Sears has forced a change in formation from the visitors. Keane has come across to right-back and Brown is now playing in midfield. Dudgeon has gone to left-back.
33 mins - Sears is involved again, running down the left and cutting inside before shooting. The ball hits the roof of the stand.
31 mins - That's the best chance of the game. Ilunga takes a quick free-kick on halfway before over-lapping Sears. The left-back receives the return ball and crosses to Edgar, who takes a touch and shoots, but Wooton is there to head the ball over the bar. From the corner, the ball drops to Moncur 25 yards out. He catches his shot flush, but it hits a defender.
28 mins - Driver makes a fine interception on halfway and finds Faubert. He feeds the ball left for Sears, who touches it left to Edgar. He beats Brown on his outside and runs into the box before going to ground. Tentative claims for a penalty are waved away by the referee.
26 mins - Eyjolfsson gets too tight to King and ends up pulling back the No9. Free-kick to Manchester United about 28 yards out, just left of centre. Norwood curls a superb effort over the wall and Stech dives full-length to push the ball around the post. Stech claims the corner.
24 mins - Driver is back on. West Ham go on the attack and Sears bursts past Brown. However, the ball bobbles as he passes left to Tombides, allowing Tunnicliffe time to slide in and clear the ball for a throw.
22 mins - Callum Driver goes up for a header and takes a whack on the back of the head for his troubles. Lomas sends Modelski out to warm-up. The physio comes on to tend to Driver.
21 mins - The playing surface is not making passing football the easiest task in the world. We're at the start of April, of course, and Bishop's Stortford have had a busy season in the Blue Square South.
18 mins - Now a chance from a set piece for West Ham as Faubert is bundled over by Wooton. Edgar chooses to shoot from about 35 yards and his effort hits the wall.
16 mins - Driver clips Dudgeon wide on the left and the visitors have a chance to get some quality into the box. Norwood bends over the free-kick and it bounces awkwardly past Stech and just clears the far post.
13 mins - Stech claims a long throw and immediately belts the ball upfield. Brown slips and Tombides would be in, only for the clearance to skip off the turf and out for a goal kick at the far end.
11 mins - Edgar gets free down the left and has time and space to cross. He checks on to his right foot and crosses. The ball hits Thorpe on the head and is going into the net until goalkeeper Johnstone palms it around the post. The corner is won by Tombides, but his header hits a defender and the ball is cleared.
10 mins - That's a decent chance. Faubert bulldozes through one challenge before playing a one-two with Tombides. He crosses from near the corner flag and Sears is unmarked on the penalty spot, but cannot direct his header on target.
7 mins - Stech is called into action again. Larnell Cole shoots from 25 yards and the ball clips Driver and loops towards the top right-hand corner. The Czech Republic U21 stopper tips the ball over. The corner is delivered to the near post and flicks high off the head of McNaughton and safely into the hands of Stech.
7 mins - Sears has a run down the left before prodding the ball inside for Edgar, but it's too strong and the visitors are easily able to clear.
5 mins - It's been a rather subdued opening so far. The gusty wind is making it a bit difficult to get the ball down and play for both sides.
2 mins - Manchester United create the first chance. The ball drops to Tunnicliffe 25 yards out, but he drags his shot into the ground. Vermijl slides in and his initial shot is blocked by Stech before he stabs the rebound into the net. Thankfully, Vermijl was flagged offside.
2pm - Tunnicliffe and King get the game up and running, but the ball is punted straight out of play on the near side.
1.59pm - Manchester United will get us underway when the PA announcer has finished running through the two sides!
1.57pm - The two teams emerge from the tunnel, led by captains Callum McNaughton and Scott Wooton.
1.50pm - There is a very healthy crowd in, as I said, certainly a few hundred. The two teams have headed back to their dressing rooms for their final preparations. The mid-morning sunshine has disappeared behind some grey clouds. Let's hope we don't have any rain.
1.30pm - Collison is out warming up with his team-mates for the first time in more than a year. He has a big smile on his face, as you might expect. There is quite a decent crowd in at Bishop's Stortford, including children from two local primary schools.
1.15pm - There will be more than 50 scouts at today's game, no doubt hoping to spot some talent that might provide their club with some quality next season. The Football League loan deadline has passed now, but players will be keen to find themselves regular first-team football in 2010/11 in the shape of a loan move.
1.05pm - While we're on the subject of the reserves, the away match at Wolverhampton Wanderers has been put back 24 hours and will now take place at AFC Telford United on Wednesday 27 April. Kick-off is at 7pm. Back here at Woodside Park, goalkeepers Marek Stech and Sam Cowler are the first two Hammers out to go through their pre-match warm-up.
Good afternoon and welcome to Woodside Park for today's Barclays Premier Reserve League clash between West Ham United and Manchester United.
The big team news is that Jack Collison has been named among the West Ham substitutes and could make his first club appearance since the 3-0 Barclays Premier League defeat by the Red Devils at Old Trafford on 23 February 2010. Since then, Collison has been ruled out with a serious knee injury, but he is now well down the road to recovery.
The home side will be keen to get back to winning ways after going down to a 4-1 defeat at Blackburn Rovers on Monday and will be boosted by the return to reserve-team duty of Freddie Sears, Herita Ilunga and Julien Faubert. Holmar Orn Eyjolfsson also starts four days after scoring the winner for Iceland U21s against England on Monday evening.
Manager Steve Lomas will also be eager to avenge the 7-1 Premier League thrashing he suffered as a West Ham player at Old Trafford eleven years ago today.
For the visitors, five of the starters were also in the XI that knocked West Ham out of the FA Youth Cup at the fourth-round stage on 19 January.
West Ham United reserves: Stech, Driver (Collison 60), Ilunga, McNaughton, Eyjolfsson, Abdulla, Moncur, Edgar (Vose 85), Faubert, Sears, Tombides
Subs: Cowler, Modelski, McCallum
Manchester United reserves: Johnstone, Brown, M.Keane, Wooton, Thorpe, Norwood, Vermijl, Tunnicliffe, King (Lingard 81), Cole (Petrucci 60), Dudgeon
Subs: Fettis