WEST HAM UNITED v SOUTHAMPTON
BARCLAYS U21 PREMIER LEAGUE ELITE GROUP STAGE
FRIDAY 15 FEBRUARY 2013
KICK-OFF: 7PM
REFEREE: NIGEL LUGG
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West Ham United U21s 0-1 Southampton U21s
90+1 mins: What a chance that is. Lee stoops to meet a right-wing cross, only to see his header drift agonisingly wide of the far post. And with that the full-time whistle sounds to conclude a frustrating evening for Haycock's side. Though it will be of no consolation to West Ham, they were beaten by a fine goal tonight. It's Wolverhampton Wanderers away next up for West Ham, onwards and upwards.
90 mins: Larkins lumps it long and Paulista appears to be winning the race only to be muscled out of it at the last. The Brazilian, in his haste to win the ball, concedes a free-kick.
88 mins: Southampton win a free-kick in a dangerous position, but content to protect their slender advantage, the Saints resist a shot on goal and head for the corner instead.
86 mins: West Ham have their umpteenth corner of the evening but the Saints are holding firm. Moncur's centre is cleared as far as Shaw who slams a half volley wide of Gazzaniga's left-hand upright.
83 mins: A last throw of the dice here from Haycock, as Amos Nasha makes way for Kieran Bywater. There's still plenty of time here for some late drama...
82 mins: Lletget is involved once more as he finds Paulista with a delicate chip into the box. The Brazilian does superbly to control on his chest and then get a shot away on the turn. Unfortunately, he's unable to test the 'keeper as it sails over the bar.
79 mins: Another good chance comes and goes for the Hammers as Lletget, who collects from Lee, is unable to get any force behind an 18-yard drive and it rolls harmlessly into the grateful arms of Gazzaniga.
76 mins: The Saints make their third and final change, with Joe Curtis coming on for Isgrove. The visitors, however, are struggling to stem the tide at the moment, as West Ham continue to push for the leveller. A corner from the right causes panic in the Saints box but fortune smiles on the visitors who manage to clear.
74 mins: These are frustrating times for the Hammers as Frazer Shaw has an opportunity to cross but shanks it horribly behind. Undeterred, West Ham pour forward once more, this time through Lletget. He gets to the by-line but his low cutback is intercepted and the chance has gone.
70 mins: Haycock makes his second switch of the evening, with Kieran Sadlier replacing Marlow. Sadlier should be full of confidence, having struck twice for the Under-18s last time out.
68 mins: Moncur makes his way across the pitch to take the set-piece and though Onariase makes perfectly good contact, his header clears the crossbar by some distance.
67 mins: Paulista and Lee have been unusually quiet up until now, though the latter wins a corner on the left-hand side. Moncur takes it and the Saints can only put it behind for another corner. Pressure building.
65 mins: West Ham have it all to do now and Southampton continue to frustrate their hosts with some tidy possession football.
61 mins: GOAL! Out of absolutely nothing the visitors take the lead. It's the substitute Seidi who has made the difference, unleashing a vicious strike from the right-hand side which positively flew past Larkins and into the top corner. Some strike.
60 mins: Nick Haycock opts to withdraw Gardner, with Manny Onariase his replacement.
57 mins: The Saints make their second change of the evening, as the somewhat subdued Rowe makes way for Alberto Seidi. Meanwhile, Moncur is stood over a free-kick, some 35 yards from goal. The Hammers midfielder dinks it into the mixer but there's no joy for the hosts, as Southampton head clear.
54 mins: Larkins is called into action once more, but this time it's a brilliant double stop to keep the sides level. Isgrove's initial drive is parried straight back into his path and from the rebound, Larkins throws himself to his right to claw it away from the bottom corner. Stunning stuff.
52 mins: Isgrove wins a corner, which he himself will take. Ben Marlow is at full stretch as he stoops to head clear, but the Saints have yet another corner. This time Larkins is unable to gather at the first attempt and though Ruddock hoists it clear, Lugg awards the 'keeper a free-kick.
50 mins: Paulista runs on to a long ball, which drops rather kindly over his shoulder. He has a lot to do from a less-than helpful angle and inevitably his shot fizzes wide.
48 mins: Lee, in typically menacing fashion, darts at the Saints' back line. Just as he lines up a strike, Aaron Martin slides in with a supremely timed challenge to avert the danger.
46 mins: Southampton are back with us and it's the visitors who get us underway. Paulista links up neatly with Lee, but the latter cannot take the ball in his stride and the Saints clear.
19:57pm: West Ham's players are back out and ready for the off. No sign of the visitors just yet.
45 mins: Lee collects the ball on the edge of the box and opts to have a dig at goal. Perhaps not the wisest decision as his effort comfortably clears the bar. The referee blows for half time and both sides trudge off after a difficult first 45.
42 mins: Rowe dispossesses Lletget on the edge of the box. It should spell trouble but he stumbles and then concedes a free-kick as he trips Ruddock. Not the tidiest passage of play.
39 mins: That man Driver is in the thick of it again. His endeavour sees Moncur with a sight of goal but his strike flies harmlessly high. Driver looks to be the most likely source of inspiration this evening.
37 mins: Back come West Ham as Lee plays in Driver down the right. He surges to the by-line and his low cross is eventually shovelled behind. Moncur's corner is a dangerous one but Mr Lugg has seen an infringement and blows for a free-kick.
34 mins: Pelly Ruddock has barely put a foot wrong tonight and yet again he's alert to the danger to stop Omar Rowe in his tracks. The Saints win it back and exchange several neat passes on the edge of the box. They're perhaps guilty of overplaying and West Ham escape.
31 mins: Driver goes in strongly on Matt Targett. It appears to be a fair challenge but the referee thinks otherwise and West Ham's skipper goes into the book. Targett receives lengthy treatment on the field, before being withdrawn. Matt Young is the man to deputise at left-back.
27 mins: The Hammers are turning the screw here, as they win another corner on the far side. It's Moncur to whip it in and Gazzaniga does exceptionally well to pluck it out the sky with a load of West Ham bodies for company.
24 mins: Lee races clear down the left, but such is his turn of pace, that there's only the advanced Driver in his sights in the box. His centre is diverted behind for a corner, which is expertly cleared at the near post.
21 mins: Exquisite football from the home side. Moncur pings an inch-perfect pass right across the pitch into the path of Driver. The skipper doesn't even have to break stride as he delivers a wicked ball into the area. It's fractionally too high and eludes those queuing up in the middle.
19 mins: The challenges are flying in and it's somewhat stop-start. Referee Nigel Lugg has been a busy boy thus far, though I'm pleased to report his cards have remained in his pocket.
16 mins: West Ham win a free-kick just inside the Southampton half. It's Moncur who takes responsibility but his low centre has too much on it for Paulista to have a chance.
14 mins: Southampton just about edging it in terms of possession, but Jake Larkins won't be too concerned provided he remains untroubled.
10 mins: West Ham certainly warming to the task here. Lletget is having some joy down the middle and he feeds Moncur, who tries his luck from all of 25 yards. It's well hit but straight down the throat of Gazzaniga.
8 mins: Driver is set free down the right and his strike from the edge of the box looks to be heading goalward. Sadly, a Southampton block takes all the sting out of the effort and it's easily collected by 'keeper Paulo Gazzaniga.
6 mins: West Ham are settling down here, though frontmen Elliot Lee and Wellington Paulista have had little service as of yet.
3 mins: It's Southampton making all the early running here, as the young Hammers get to grips with what appears to be a 3-5-2 formation, with trialist Ricardo Gardner and skipper Callum Driver operating as wing-backs.
2 mins: The set piece is whipped in from the left by Lloyd Isgrove and Aaron Martin climbs highest. Fortunately for the hosts, his header loops off the top of the crossbar and behind for a goal-kick.
19:00pm: It's West Ham who get us underway and after a brief forray into the Saints' final third, the ball is flung in the opposite direction and the visitors have an early corner.
18:57pm: Here come the players and officials. Southampton are sporting their bright yellow away shirt.
18:37pm: The teams are in and Nick Haycock makes three changes to the side that saw off West Bromwich Albion last Friday. Frazer Shaw, Ben Marlow and trialist Ricardo Gardner come in for Dan Potts, Jordan Spence and Kieran Bywater. The Saints, meanwhile, include James Ward-Prowse, who has already made 14 first-team appearances this season.
West Ham United U21s: Larkins, Driver, Gardner, Nasha, Shaw, Ruddock, Marlow, Moncur, Paulista, Lletget, Lee. Subs: Piquionne, Baxter, Onariase, Bywater, Sadlier
Southampton U21s: Gazzaniga, Chambers, Targett, Stephens, Martin, Turnbull, Isgrove, Ward-Prowse, Sinclair, Moore, Rowe. Subs: Curtis, Britt, Young, Seidi
Good evening and welcome to Rush Green for tonight's Barclays Under-21 Premier League Elite Group fixture featuring West Ham United and Southampton.
The Hammers are bidding for a second home win in as many outings, following last Friday's 2-0 success over West Bromwich Albion. Elliot Lee and Wellington Paulista were the men on target on that occasion as they continue to foster an increasingly potent double act.
Nick Haycock's side have accumulated six points in the Elite Group to date and though they sit second, Tottenham Hotspur now boast an imposing seven-point lead at the top, having won four of their five fixtures.
Southampton, meanwhile, are yet to taste victory in the competition's second phase, with two draws and two defeats. The Saints were seconds away from victory at Molineux on Monday, only to be denied by a 95th minute penalty in a 2-2 draw.
We will have team news for you shortly, while there will then be live text updates from kick-off at 7pm.