Gillingham XI 2-2 West Ham United XI FT

GILLINGHAM XI v WEST HAM UNITED XI
DEVELOPMENT SQUAD MATCH
TUESDAY 8 NOVEMBER 2011
KICK-OFF: 1PM

Final score - Gillingham XI 2-2 West Ham United XI

94 mins - Gillingham kick-off and the final whistle is blown almost immediately. Just to let you know, the Development Squad will return to action next Tuesday evening at Whyteleafe FC. Kick-off is at 7.45pm, so please go along and support both the Hammers and the non-league club.

93 mins - GOAL! How about that! Lee curls over a superb free-kick and the trialist wins it. Hawkes makes a fantastic reaction save to parry the ball, but Potts reacts quickest and slams the ball home from six yards. Cue wild celebrations! What a few days it has been for Potts!

92 mins - The trialist is fouled about 45 yards from the home goal. A last chance for the Hammers...

91 mins - West Ham win a free-kick on halfway. Potts launches it into the box but the goalkeeper is again in the right place to make a catch. Two minutes more, says the referee.

90 mins - Into the final minute and Fanimo streaks away from two defenders down the left touchline. He crosses, but it's too close to Hawkes and the goalkeeper makes the catch.

89 mins - Montano gets forward down the right, but a combination of two defenders head the ball clear.

87 mins - At present Gillingham look the more likely scorers. A cross from the right is headed behind for a corner by Young. The ball drops to Hare, who swings his right foot at the ball but it flies over.

86 mins - Payne shoots from about 30 yards, but his effort flies harmlessly over the top.

83 mins - Hare is on for right-back Evans. Not long to go and West Ham need to find an equaliser from somewhere.

81 mins - Some more substitutes... Driver and Moncur come off and Chambers and Fanimo are on. For Gillingham, Hessenthaler replaces Montrose.

80 mins - Gllingham bring on Dack for Brown. West Ham win a corner through Turgott. Before it is taken, I should tell you that Sebastian Lletget is in Germany at a United States Under-23 training camp. The corner is taken by Lee but the trialist heads wide of the far post.

79 mins - A cross comes in from the right and Young heads it goalwards. Larkins is strong and makes the catch high above his head.

77 mins - Hendon replaces Wearen with a trialist.

75 mins - The corner is headed down and Payne is there in front of Larkins. He flicks the ball, but the goalkeeper makes a great save to divert the ball around the post. The second corner is too deep and is cleared.

74 mins - Gillingham break and a harmless through ball is helped into the path of Brown by Young. The winger looks up and shoots. It's going wide, but Larkins isn't to know and fingertips the ball out for a corner.

74 mins - Turgott crosses from Montano's lay-off and Haysman dives to head the ball behind for a corner. Lee takes the corner short to Montano, whose cross is blocked...

72 mins - Gillingham replace Evans and Oli with Brunt and Haysman for the final 20 minutes or so.

69 mins - West Ham have numbers forward again. Montenegro lays the ball off to Moncur, who hits it first-time across the face of the penalty area to Montano. He controls on his thigh and ignores Lee's calls for a pass before volleying wide of the left-hand post.

67 mins - King hurts himself making a clearance. I think he has jarred his knee by catching his boot in the turf. He recovers quickly though and clears the ball for a throw the next time West Ham attack.

65 mins - Montano gets free down the right. His cross is headed clear to Moncur, who takes a touch but slams his shot over the top from 22 yards. He yells in frustration. That was a decent chance. Hendon tells him he has to hit the target from that range.

64 mins - The game has got really stretched. The ball is pinging from one end to the other, I'm sure we'll see more goals.

61 mins - GOAL! And now they lead... Oli gets goalside of the defence and lifts a cute finish over substitute goalkeeper Larkins. The ball settles in the net and Gillingham are ahead. West Ham respond by bringing on Turgott for Vose.

60 mins - Payne is almost in again, but Potts gets across to make a vital slide tackle for a throw. Gillingham are like a different side since the break, and especially since their goal. It's an amazing thing, is confidence.

59 mins - Oooh! Montano controls well on his chest and looks to have gone in behind Essam, but the tall centre-back sticks out a long leg to make a vital and fine tackle just inside the home penalty area.

58 mins - Gillingham work the free-kick well to Stefan Payne, but his drive is too high and thuds into the blue seats behind the goal.

57 mins - West Ham are rocking a bit here. Gillingham win the ball back and break again. Montrose has it inside the Hammers box, but despite some neat skill, he cannot get a shot away. Wearen clears, but only as far as Rance, who is fouled by Moncur.

54 mins - GOAL! Gillingham are level courtesy of a quick break. Lee loses the ball inside the Gills half and a long pass down the right edge of the box finds Oli. He beats Potts to it and crosses for Stefan Payne, who slides the ball in from close-range.

52 mins - Another flashpoint as Payne slides in on Montano. Wearen takes exception and Payne takes exception to the Irishman's reaction. A talking-to for both players from the referee. West Ham have another free-kick.

51 mins - I'm not sure exactly what started that, but Montrose is on the floor rolling around and the Gillingham players are surrounding Lee. After a bit of handbags, West Ham have a free-kick and Montrose is back on the pitch.

50 mins - That's Gillingham's first shot in a while. Left-back Carter gets forward but screws his shot wide of the left-hand post.

49 mins - West Ham pass up a golden opportinity to score a second goal. Montano has two players to aim for inside the box, but just one defender to miss. His cross is wayward and King heads clear. A second opportunity nearly falls to the No11 but he is offside.

48 mins - Young is involved, launching a long pass forward for Vose to chase. It is to the left of the winger and bounces through to Hawkes.

46 mins - The Hammers get the second half underway.

OK, we're nearly ready to get back underway. Gillingham have changed goalkeepers, with Hawkes replacing Gazzaniga between the sticks. West Ham have Jake Young on for Demel and have replaced Kurucz with Larkins.

Just to let you know before the second half starts, that the FA Youth Cup third-round draw will be made on Friday at 1pm. Keep an eye on whufc.com and the club's twitter feed for the latest news about West Ham's opponents.

Half-time score - Gillingham XI 0-1 West Ham United XI

46 mins - Montano wins a free-kick. The ball is taken short to the Colombian, but his shot is charged down and the half-time whistle is blown.

45 mins - The action has dried up a bit in the last 20 minutes, but West Ham are still the better side and a rightfully ahead.

42 mins - Great turn from Montano and he is away and running at the last line of the Gills defence. He looks to be fouled, but nothing is given and is then penalised for catching Essam.

40 mins - West Ham win a few throw-ins deep in the Gillingham half, but they come to nothing. Gillingham break but Demel is there with a strong sliding challenge on Payne. No signs of any injury there!

36 mins - No joy from this corner as Potts sees his shot blocked and Gillingham scramble the ball clear again.

35 mins - The corner is taken short by Vose, but the cross to the far post towards Demel is headed away. West Ham quickly regain possession and Wearen picks out Vose with a fine pass. He runs at Evans before cutting inside and curling a low shot that looks destined for the far corner until Gazzaniga gets a hand to the ball. Another corner...

34 mins - Much better. West Ham keep the ball for about 60 seconds before Montano latches on to Montenegro's square ball but his shot his blocked. The ball breaks to Lee, who shoots powerfully from the edge of the penalty area, but it's blocked behind.

33 mins - To be fair to Gillingham, they've stuck to their task and are back in the game. The Hammers just need to simplify things and keep possession and they will create more chances.

31 mins - Gillingham win a couple of corners in quick succession. Carter's second delivery is far too long and Montrose can only concede a goal kick.

29 mins - The physio has been on to tend to Gillingham right-back Evans, but the game is now underway again. Driver and Vose combine well down the right flank, but Montenegro's attempted pass for Montano inside the box is cut out.

25 mins - Beautiful feet from Lee, whose drag-back loses Payne in midfield. Lee tries to pick out Montenegro with a 40-yard pass, but it's about a yard too strong and the ball skips through to Gazzaniga.

23 mins - West Ham are completely in control here. Gillingham are really struggling to get the ball out of their own half or to keep it for any length of time. Hendon is urging his players to go forward and put pressure on their young opponents.

21 mins - Another chance. Wearen plays a superb pass through the midfield to Lee, who turns, looks up and feeds the ball into the path of Montano. He takes a touch before shooting left-footed from 18 yards. Gazzaniga blocks before grabbing the loose ball.

20 mins - Gillingham clear but not for long. Montenegro wins a fifth corner in the space of about three minutes, but Vose's delivery is low and cleared on the edge of the penalty area. Real pressure from West Ham.

19 mins - Gillingham clear two corners behind. The third nearly curls in at the far post but is cleared. Demel picks up possession wide on the right and wins a fourth flag-kick. Vose drives the ball across and Montrose almost heads into his own net.

17 mins - Potts has looked so assured so far alongside Demel at the heart of the West Ham back four. He prompts another attack down the right that sees Vose cut inside and feed Moncur. The ball is rolled across the edge of the 'D' and Moncur strikes first-time. Gazzaniga flies to his right to push the ball around the post. That was bound for the top corner.

15 mins - To be fair, West Ham have been well on top for the vast majority of the game so far and deservedly lead. They are working ever so hard to win the ball back from their hosts.

13 mins - GOAL! Montenegro's clever flick to Montano leads Essam to head behind for a corner. Vose curls the ball into the near post and the Paraguayan flicks a superb header that Gazzaniga can only palm on to the inside of the far post and into the net.

12 mins - Kurucz is called into action for the first time as Brown controls and shoots right-footed. The Hungarian is in the right place to make the catch in front of his face. West Ham break forward...

10 mins - Moncur finds the run of Montenegro down the inside-left channel. He cuts inside and Moncur passes to Driver, but the full-back's touch lets him down and he ends up conceding a goal kick as the ball thuds off his shin.

8 mins - Beautiful football from back to front from the Hammers. Kurucz passes out to Potts, who plays through the midfield before Montenegro's flick sends Montano away. He switches wide right to Driver, whose deep cross is headed behind by Brown. The corner comes over and Wearen challenges the goalkeeper, who flaps at the ball. Luckily for Gillingham, it squirms just wide for a goal kick.

6 mins - Gillingham threaten for the first time, but Potts stands firm not once but twice to block efforts from Montrose. Finally, the ball skips up and the defender heads clear from the edge of his box. Good stuff from the young man.

4 mins - West Ham should lead. Montrose gives the ball away in midfield and West Ham have four men forward to just three defenders. Montano crosses for Lee, who takes a touch but sees his shot saved by Gazzaniga. The ball breaks to Montano, who cuts inside but sees his shot skid wide.

3 mins - Driver gets forward and wins a corner.  Vose takes it short to Moncur, but his low cross is cut out. West Ham win the ball back and Montano gets free down the left. He crosses, but the ball is behind Montenegro. Gillingham scramble it clear again.

1 min - A long ball forward catches Oli offside and allows West Ham to build with some patient passing inside their own half. Most of the outfield players get a touch, which is always welcome early in any game.

1.03pm - Gillingham kick-off shooting from left to right...

1.02pm - We'll kick-off slightly late here. Lee and King shake hands before breaking away to their positions. Gillingham will get us underway shortly.

12.59pm - Here come Gillingham in their change kit of all black. I am told their whole team is made up of first-year professionals, while the bench is filled by a mixture of young professionals and trainees. The match officials are last to appear complete with very fetching luminous yellow shirts.

12.55pm - The Hammers are back out on the pitch ahead of kick-off. No sign yet of the home side, but I'm sure it won't be long. There are plenty of scouts here this afternoon, so I'm sure the young West Ham players will be keen to impress if they want to secure a loan move before the end of the month.