Academy Director Tony Carr has praised his Under-18 team following their 5-1 pre-season victory at Ryman League Premier Division side Great Wakering Rovers.
The Hammers, playing against a senior side containing players ten years or more older than themselves, produced a confident and assured performance at Burroughs Park.
Striker Elliot Lee (pictured) and Republic of Ireland youth international Kieran Sadlier both scored twice, while in-form attacker Dymon Labonne was also on target, leaving Carr more than happy with his side's performance.
"We passed the ball well and competed with them and created good opportunities which we took," said Carr.
"We learned lessons from our 3-1 defeat at AFC Hornchurch at the weekend, when we got bullied a little bit and didn't play anywhere near well enough to get a result.
"We spoke about that game and myself and Nick Haycock worked the boys hard in training to improve particular aspects of their game. It appeared to work as they produced a good all-round performance at Wakering."
Carr was impressed with the movement, attitude and clinical finishing demonstrated by his front-three of Lee, Sadlier and Labonne, who have now scored nine youth-team goals between them in pre-season.
"Elliot and Kieran both played very well," confirmed the Academy Director. "Elliot leads the line well and has a great eye for goal.
"Kieran played excellently going forward and took his two chances well. All three attackers - Elliot, Kieran and Dymon Labonne - played very well and were a right handful for the opposition.
"I was really pleased with them and they are all first-year scholars and were playing against men. Five of our starting lineup were 16-years-old, so if nothing else, it showed they can compete and their technical skills were there to be seen.
"It's a big ask for young kids to play against men and do well. I am very pleased with how they performed."