COLCHESTER UNITED v WEST HAM UNITED XI
WEDNESDAY 7 AUGUST 2011
WALLACE BINDER GROUND, MALDON
KICK-OFF: 1pm
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Final score - Colchester United 2-2 West Ham United XI
90 minutes - Colchester have a chance right at the death, but McNaughton makes a fantastic block before Cowler helps the ball over the crossbar. The referee blows for full-time before the corner can be taken, so a draw it is. Post-match reaction will follow shortly on whufc.com.
89 mins - Not long to go now and it looks odds-on that we're going to have to settle for a draw here. So, John Carew has made his debut and George McCartney got through 75 minutes unscathed. Both looked fit and strong and should be challenging for a first-team place soon. More options for manager Sam Allardyce and that can only be a good thing.
86 mins - The corner is too deep, but McNaughton retrieves the ball. Moncur crosses from the left, but it's too high and goes behind for a goal kick.
85 mins - Unlucky. Hall breaks down the right and crosses for Sears. The striker nearly picks out the England Under-18 star, but his backheel is cut out inside the area. Moments later, West Ham win a corner.
81 mins - West Ham are pushing hard for a late winner here. They are playing some neat football, but it just won't fall for them in the Colchester box...yet.
77 mins - Good running from Nouble to get himself goal-side of the defender and win a corner. It's taken short to Hall, but his cross is cleared.
75 mins - McCartney gets a rest as he is replaced by a trialist, while Sam Cowler is on for Boffin in goal for the remaining 15 minutes.
74 mins - Sears crosses and the ball is headed only as far as Stanislas. He shoots, the ball hits a defender and spins just wide. The corner comes to nothing.
73 mins - Wally Downes is with Hendon in the technical area. Good to see the first-team coach taking a strong interest in many of the players who could be the future of the club.
71 mins - The young Hammers have found their stride now and are looking more threatening. A nice one-touch move ends when McCartney's cross is headed clear from inside the penalty area.
67 mins - West Ham win a pair of corners in quick succession, but neither Nouble nor McNaughton can direct their headers on target. Colchester make a change, with the No9 being replaced.
65 mins - Colchester are coming on strong now. First, McNaughton makes a diving block, then Boffin has to be alert to collect a well-struck shot in front of his face.
60 mins - GOAL! This time it is West Ham's turn to relinquish a lead quickly. Colchester's No10 slams a low shot between Boffin and the post from the corner of the box. Fine finish.
58 mins - Faubert, Sanchez, Barrera, Piquionne and Carew go off, with Wearen, Driver, Abdulla, Moncur and Robert Hall coming on in their places. Sears and Nouble are now up front. Wearen is at centre-back.
57 mins - GOAL! Barrera bags his second of the game following good work from Piquionne. The striker beats a man and cuts the ball back. Carew lets it run and Barrera finishes left-footed from 12 yards.
57 mins - Hendon is preparing a whole host of substitutes. I presume the plan was for some of the senior lads to get an hour.
56 mins - West Ham have been well on top since the break, but they haven't fashioned a clear opportunity as yet. Barrera is probing down the right, but has twice seen crosses cleared, while Nouble's cut-back was easily smashed upfield from inside the Colchester penalty area.
54 mins - Captain McNaughton has looked strong this afternoon. He has led his team well, too, organisingly and communicating well with his team-mates.
52 mins - The players are giving their all in this game. Faubert and Piquionne have both loudly chastised themselves for poor passes. There is competition for places in Sam Allardyce's side and everybody wants to be part of it.
49 mins - Carew flicks-on McNaughton's clearance in typical style, but Nouble can't latch on to the loose ball. Piquionne then crosses high towards Nouble, but the goalkeeper claims under pressure from the young forward.
47 mins - Piquionne clears the corner at the near post. West Ham break after McNaughton steps in and Stanislas picks up a loose ball, but his low shot is well off-target.
46 mins - Carew and McCartney are both back out there as Colchester get the second half underway. In fact, Ian Hendon has not made any changes. Colchester attack from the kick-off and McCartney heads behind for a corner.
Half-time score - Colchester United 1-1 West Ham United XI
45 mins - As the 45th minute ends, the referee blows for half-time.
44 mins - Good strength by Carew to hold off his marker and shoot on the turn, but the Colchester goalkeeper's handling is sound as he dives to his right. I wonder if the Norway international will appear again after the break?
41 mins - Piquionne beats one man and draws another before trying to slip in Sears. A defender gets a foot in and it's a corner. Barrera's delivery is not great and Colchester clear to Stanislas, who slices his volley and the hosts again get the ball away.
38 mins - Ooof! Colchester come within a lick of paint of going ahead for a second time, but the No14's shot cannons back off the angle of post and bar and flies all the way out for a throw-in.
35 mins - Piquionne and Faubert combine down the right, but the latter's cross is too high for Carew. Shame. Seconds later, a long ball from Sanchez is mis-controlled by a Colchester defender, but Barrera's cushioned volley is off-target.
32 mins - Stanislas takes the corner short and receives the ball back from McCartney. His cross is volleyed behind again. The second corner is also cleared back to Stanislas, whose cross is too high and goes behind.
31 mins - Super stuff from Nouble, who chests the ball down from Carew before galloping down the left and collecting the return pass. He beats his defender and crosses. The ball is headed behind.
30 mins - After a rather frenzied opening period, the game has calmed down a bit now.
29 mins - Apologies for the slight mis-communication on the website earlier. West Ham are playing Colchester United, but the game is taking place at Maldon Town FC.
27 mins - Great stuff from McCartney, controlling with his head before bursting forward 40 yards. He cuts the ball inside for Sears, who takes a touch, loses his man and unleashes a fierce shot that the goalkeeper does well to turn over the top. The corner is headed clear by the blond No3.
26 mins - Piquionne beats the goalkeeper to a through ball but is forced wide. He controls, finds Nouble and the striker feeds Barrera. The Mexican tries to beat his man on the edge of the box, but is tackled.
25 mins - Carew looks lively. He is dropping deep to link-up the play regularly. In fact, he appears to be playing slightly behind Piquionne at times. It's a 4-1-3-2 formation I think, with Stanislas sitting in front of the back four.
24 mins - This is good end-to-end stuff. Colchester come close twice in quick succession. First, a cross from No3 is volleyed by No10 straight at Boffin, then No14 in midfield shoots from 30 yards, and again the Belgian makes the stop.
22 mins - Good work from Piquionne this time, winning the ball in midfield before making 30 yards and shooting from 25. Colchester's goalkeeper makes a safe save low down in the centre of his goal.
20 mins - West Ham attack again through Sears and then Piquionne. He has two men to pick out in the box in Barrera and Carew, but is challenged as he enters the penalty area. Hands on head for the Frenchman.
17 mins - GOAL! West Ham break down the left before the ball is worked across the face of the box to Barrera. He runs at his man on the outside before drilling a low shot across the goalkeeper and into the bottom left-hand corner. That's a good finish from the Mexico winger.
16 mins - Two chances for Colchester to double their advantage. First, the No3 heads across the face of goal, then the No9 sees his shot charged down by Faubert.
15 mins - Piquionne instructs Sanchez to try to pick out Nouble with long diagonal passes. The Spaniard does just that, but Colchester's right-back wins the header with ease.
12 mins - GOAL! Colchester's No8 springs through the middle, latches on to a slide-rule pass and calmly tucks his finish high past Ruud Boffin and into the roof of the net. Colchester lead.
9 mins - I'm afraid I don't have the Colchester team as a team sheet wasn't available before kick-off. West Ham have a very attacking XI out there, with Stanislas and Sears in central midfield, Nouble wide left and Barrera wide right.
7 mins - The West Ham United XI lineup is now at the bottom of the page. Meanwhile, West Ham win a free-kick 25 yards out in a central position. Stanislas takes, but he curls his shot wide of the left-hand post.
4 mins - So close to an opening goal for the Hammers as McNaughton volleys Barrera's corner against the crossbar. The ball clips the woodwork and bounces over the top.
3 mins - Barrera's cross is volleyed out for a corner by Colchester's No5.
1 min - Carew has his first run in claret and blue, but his pass for Barrera is mis-placed.
12.56pm - We have kicked-off early here in Essex, with Carew and Piquionne getting things under way
Welcome to the Wallace Binder Stadium in Maldon, Essex for a specially-arranged behind-closed-doors match for West Ham United.
Ian Hendon's development squad has been strengthened by new recruits George McCartney and John Carew. The Hammers also have Julien Faubert, Abdoulaye Faye and Frederic Piquionne in action, after their appearances off the bench in the 4-0 win at Watford last night.
West Ham United XI: Boffin (Cowler 75), Faubert (Driver 58), McCartney (Trialist 75), Sanchez (Wearen 58), McNaughton, Barrera (Hall 58), Stanislas, Sears, Nouble, Piquionne (Moncur 58), Carew (Abdulla 58)