CAMBRIDGE UNITED XI v DEVELOPMENT SQUAD
FRIENDLY MATCH
R COSTINGS ABBEY STADIUM
WEDNESDAY 16 OCTOBER 2013
KICK-OFF: 7PM
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Full-time: A couple of puffs on the whistle and this one's over! The Hammers have earned another good win ahead of the resumption of the Barclays Under-21 Premier League season. Two goals from Elliot Lee, one in each half, helped the Development Squad to victory. Lee struck his second with just four minutes left to break home hearts after they had cancelled out his 36th minute goal with one of their own after 75 minutes. A well deserved win!
90+1 mins: Tombides heads into the turf and wide after a Chambers cross.
90 mins: Howes takes a chance dribbling the ball into the box with an opponent bearing down. Thankfully he gathers in time as we enter injury time.
89 mins: Fanimo surges forward and supplies Tombides. The striker sets himself before blazing a shot over the bar.
87 mins GOAL: Turgott has been impressive on the right and he swings another cross in which Lee is waiting for to volley home what could be the winner!
86 mins: Potts is penalised for a foul on Sam-Yorke. They take quickly but Fanimo is back defending and hoofs up field.
84 mins: Another corner for the Hammers and this time they come close. Moncur delivers, Lletget heads goalwards but a defender is back on the line to clear. Close, very close.
81 mins: Chambers gallops forward and appeals for a penalty as his cross appears to hit an arm as it goes out for a corner. Nothing given and the corner is taken by Moncur but again it comes to nothing.
80 mins: Haycock makes a fourth change replacing Driver with Shaw,
79 mins: A decent delivery is met by Sam-Yorke who heads straight at Howes.
78 mins: A test now for the Hammers to see how they respond after that set-back. Corner for Cambridge now as they flow forward.
76 mins: The gloves are off...for Sam Baxter that is as he's replaced by substitute goalie Sam Howes. Also on is Tombides who replaces Whitehead.
75 mins GOAL: Horrible moment for Driver as he sells Baxter short with a back pass and Hurst capatalises to full effect.
72 mins: Few chances have been created in the last few minutes and the Hammers have decided to make a change bringing on Fanimo for Sadlier.
70 mins: Twenty minutes left and West Ham have themselves a corner! Moncur takes but it's into the gloves of Norris unchallenged.
68 mins: The home side make a change with Heath trudging off to be replaced by McCauley.
67 mins: The second corner is taken and forces Baxter to punch clear.
66 mins: The ball deflects off Ruddock for a corner after he throws himself in the way of an Austin shot. The corner comes in and goes out for another corner.
64 mins: The free-kick is delivered to the back post but flicks off a Cambridge head and out.
63 mins: Austin is crumpled in a heap on the floor after a Driver tackle. The referee gives a free-kick for the challenge but not until a ten second advantage had been played.
61 mins: Cambridge have a corner but once again Ruddock is there to meet it.
59 mins: Spillane attempts a Beckham-esque shot from the centre circle but it's much too high to trouble Baxter's goal.
57 mins: Vital tackle from Ruddock on the half-way line as Cambridge had a four on three in their favour.
56 mins: Turgott's twisting and turning before winning a corner. It's floated in by Moncur but met by a Cambridge head and cleared.
55 mins: The second half has seen a role reversal with the Hammers now struggling to keep the ball and finding themselves penned into their half.
53 mins: Austin lets fly again but he's miles out and it bounces twice before Baxter collects.
52 mins: Moncur is found in the box by Lletget and takes a shot which thumps against the ribs of the defender and away to safety.
51 mins: The home side have already had more shots than they did in the entire first half as Austin lines one up but can only find the arms of the keeper.
49 mins: Moncur wins a free-kick in a good position on the edge of the box. He opts to take it short but hits it straight at the wall and Cambridge are able to counter.
47 mins: What a start to the second half by the home side! Sam-Yorke unleashes an absolute bullet which looks destined for the top corner but instead thumps the cross bar. Close shave for the Hammers.
46 mins: The second half has begun with Cambridge kicking us off and looking to overturn a one goal deficit.
Half-time: The referee signals for the end of the first half with the Hammers holding a slender lead. They could and probably should be further ahead with the amount of attempts they've had. Their opponents are yet to really show up tonight and a single penalty appeal is the most threatening they've been. More of the same required from the Hammers in the second half.
45 mins: Lee nearly doubles his sides advantage on the stroke of half-time. The forward passes goalwards but it's a comfortable save in the end.
43 mins: Cambridge push forward but a ball into the box is cut out by Potts and Baxter is able to clear.
41 mins: Frustrations are rearing their head for the home side who are clearly aggrieved by their lack of possession.
39 mins: The Hammers have deserved their lead and with not long to go until half-time will be looking to consolidate it.
36 mins GOAL: Elliot Lee scores again! A fine individual effort as he cuts in from the left and buries a superb driven shot past the keeper! 1-0!
34 mins: The hand bags are out! Ruddock and Sam-Yorke have another tussle in the box with the striker again going down but this time grabbing the ball in expectantcy of a penalty. It was never a foul and the ref signals a free-kick.
33 mins: Lletget is the latest Hammer to have a pop from distance but it's the same result as all the others for the midfielder as his effort goes wide.
32 mins: We've seen very little of the home side as an attacking force so far with only glimpses of promise from Sam-Yorke the big man up front.
30 mins: Moncur stands over a free-kick just past the halfway line. He delivers towards Ruddock at the back post but the defender flicks it out for a throw in.
28 mins: The Hammers are lining up for shots as Whitehead eventually sends one smacking into the advertising hoardings from a Sadlier lay-off.
27 mins: Turgott goes for goal himself this time shooting wide from just outside the box after a skillful flick from Lletget.
25 mins: A chance for the visitors as Turgott tees up Moncur in the box. A better strike from him this time but it's deflected out for a corner. The set piece is taken short and comes to nothing as Lee's touch lets him down.
23 mins: Moncur drives at the home defence and it opens up into a shooting opportunity. The midfielder lets fly but doesn't catch it cleanly and it rolls wide.
21 mins: The home fans are screaming for a penalty as Ruddock barges Sam-Yorke over in the box. It looked like a penalty from up here but the referee doesn't see it that way.
20 mins: Austin gets the better of Driver but can't do the same to Dan Potts who comes across to win the ball.
18 mins: Turgott again delivers and this time it's a super ball in. Sadlier goes up to win it as the keeper comes with arms flying everywhere but his header is off target.
16 mins: Ruddock herds Sam-Yorke down the line but the striker wins a corner off the defender. The ball is whipped in and met with a Cambridge hand which takes it over the line but thankfully for the Hammers the referee spotted it.
15 mins: Even Stevens after the first quarter of an hour here. Lots of possession for the away side but as yet no end product.
13 mins: Lee and Sadlier are involved trying to work an opportunity around the box, but are unable to and a Lee cross is easily dealt with.
11 mins: Driver fires in a shot from the edge of the box but it's straight at the Cambridge stopper.
9 mins: Sadlier delivers a cross from the left after a good team move but it's just behind Lee who stretches in vain for the ball.
7 mins: Against the run of play Cambridge create the first real opening of the game. Sam-Yorke recieves the ball in the box with his back to goal but as he swivels he sends his shot over the bar.
6 mins: A really bright start this by the Hammers. So far they've looked confident with the ball and have looked to make in roads where possible.
4 mins: Turgott wins a corner down the right hand side which Moncur has strolled across to take. He delivers it to the near post where Sadlier is waiting but the winger can only put his header over the bar.
3 mins: A bright opening for the Hammers and a good spell of keep ball to settle any nerves.
1 min: An early chance for Turgott to size up his man but he's doubled up on and decides to keep possession instead.
Kick-off: We're underway in Cambridge with the away side kicking us off.
6:57 pm: The home side are welcomed onto the pitch as we approach kick-off. The Hammers are out shortly afterwards and we're nearly ready to get this show on the road.
6:50 pm: Just over ten minutes to go until kick-off and a healthy crowd is in attendance with more drifting through the turnstiles all the time. The stadium announcer is also blaring out some Deep Purple to get the crowd in the mood.
6:45 pm: The Cambridge line-up has finally reached me up in here in the press box! They've named a strong side which includes last years captain Kevin Roberts and first team centre-back Tom Bonner. The team in full is listed at the bottom of the page.
6:25 pm: The young Hammers are now into their warm-up on a very damp pitch here at the R Costings Abbey Stadium in Cambridge. The visitors will be sporting their white away strip with light blue shorts and socks whilst their oppoenents will line-up in their familiar attire of amber shirts, black shorts and amber socks.
Nick Haycock's Development Squad have travelled to Cambridge as they prepare to test themselves against a team who have dominated the Skrill Conference Premier so far this season. The home side are yet to lose in 15 league matches recording ten wins and five draws in the process. Haycock's team have been in good form themselves and currently top the Barclays Under-21 Premier League table.
The match represents a good chance for the Hammers to prepare for a return to league action next Monday when they make the trip to AFC Telford's ground to face Wolverhampton Wanderers. In terms of team selection Haycock has picked a mainly full strength side with the only major absentee that of goalkeeper Raphael Spiegel who is away on international duty with Switzerland. Spiegel is replaced by Sam Baxter who is making his first Development Squad appearance of the season.
West Ham United: Baxter, Chambers, Driver (Shaw 80), Ruddock, Potts, Lletget, Turgott, Moncur, Whitehead (Tombides 76), Sadlier (Fanimo 72), Lee
Subs not used: Howes (GK), McCallum, Miles, Maguire
Cambridge United: Norris, Roberts, Heath, Spillane, Deaman, Bonner, Hurst, Allen, Sam-Yorke, Taylor, Austin
Subs: McCauley, Banthorpe, Akintunde, Horne, Cook