Dev Squad 1-2 Chelsea - FT

Full-time: That's it. Defeat it is for the young Hammers but their opponents will certainly know that they've been in a game tonight. A team of U18s did their best against a strong Chelsea side but ultimately came up just short on a wet and windy night in Aldershot. Amoo got the goal for the Hammers who can be proud of their performance, as it is their interest in the U21 Premier League Cup is over.

90+3 mins: Swift shoots now but again that man Howes is there!

90+1 mins: Pask makes a crucial interception as Brown hunts for the killer goal. Page is down again meanwhile but looks to soldier on for the last few minutes. Brave, much like his team's performance.

90 mins: As time ticks down it looks unlikely that the Hammers can carve an opening which might salvage the game as three minutes are added on.

88 mins: Baker forces a corner on the left. Brown will take short to Musonda who breaks into the box before shooting but Bywater makes a superb block.

86 mins: Under five minutes left with the visitors still trailing and hoping to fashion one more chance to equalise.

84 mins: He limps to the sideline but the Hammers are out of substitutes and he will have to try and continue.

83 mins: Chelsea are controlling the ball as Page goes down with what would seem to be a touch of cramp, hardly surprising given the endeavour shown by every player in a claret and blue shirt tonight.

80 mins: Nditi flashes a cross past the post as Chelsea promptly take him off and bring on Aina in his place. Tha Hammers also make their final change, subbing Burke and bringing on Pask.

79 mins: The Hammers have struggled to trouble Beeney's goal in the second half but with Martins now on the pitch they have an added attacking threat to call on.

76 mins: Potts decides to make a double switch with Mavila and Amoo making way for Martins and Carter.

75 mins: A big 15 minutes required from the young Hammers who've put so much effort into this tie already. Changes are afoot with Martins set to enter the fray.

74 mins: Corner to the Hammers conceded by Nditi. Mavila takes but Beeney comes and plucks the ball out of the sky.

72 mins: Musonda announces his arrival with a foul as he takes down Cullen in midfield.

71 mins: Chelsea make their first change with Musonda replacing Loftus-Cheek.

69 mins: Howes is down smartly again to parry Baker's effort with Burke doing the clearing up.

68 mins: Swift again as he cuts in from the right this time before unleashing a left-foot shot which looks goal bound before flying just wide.

65 mins: Swift is up high at the back post to get on the end of Brown's centre but the winger powers it over the bar.

64 mins: Corner to West Ham after good work by Mavila. Bywater comes across to take. He whips it in but a blue head reaches it first.

62 mins: Does he have a Superman costume on underneath his goalkeeper jersey? I'm starting to think so as Howes somehow sprawls to keep out Baker's close-range effort. Top save!

61 mins: A vital tackle from Onariase prevents a Chelsea third! He does brilliantly to reach the ball as it breaks loose in the box.

60 mins: Howes saves again from Brown who looked to be slightly offside before getting his shot away.

59 mins: Howes does well to punch the ball clear as it loops up after Burke's clearance from a corner.

57 mins: Burke is showing exactly why Sam Allardyce handed him a first team debut yesterday. The centre-back is strong and uncompromising in defence.

54 mins: Chance! Nasha slides the ball into Brown's feet and the striker turns on goal. He reaches the edge of the box and pulls the trigger but it's simple for Beeney.

52 mins: The Hammers continue to look to the left-hand side with the majority of their attacks. Page and Mavila are having some joy down that side and look their most likely chance of a goal.

50 mins: A let-off for Howes as he slides to collect at the feet of Brown. The ball squirms out of his gloves and the striker nips in but inadvertently sends the ball out of play.

48 mins: The Hammers go on the front foot as Brown looks to link-up with Mavila who looks for the striker again but instead finds Beeney who clears up.

46 mins: West Ham get the second half started as they look to find an equaliser.

Half-time: The referee brings an end to the first half with the Hammers putting up a good fight against their more experienced opponents. Steve Potts' side have equipped themselves well and responded to going behind on six minutes when Brown put the home side ahead. They hit back through Amoo's cross which found the net via a deflection before Ake popped up to score a very well placed finish to regain the lead. A good game and a good contest so far.

45+1 mins: Chelsea's Brown has a chance to extend the lead but sidefoots an effort over from the edge of the box.

45 mins: Brown is in the box for the Hammers after Mavila's cross finds him. He endeavours to turn but can only manage a weak shot which is easy for Beeney.

44 mins: Another set-piece for Baker to take from the left. He goes for goal and it bounces once before Howes gathers cleanly.

43 mins: Baker delivers a corner again with Onariase rising highest in the middle to head clear.

41 mins: Howes to the rescue again! This time he saves low to his left from Boga's close range header allowing Makasi to hack clear. The pressure builds.

40 mins: West Ham have Howes to thank as the keeper saves brilliantly when one-on-one with Boga after the forward exchanged an excellent one-two with Brown.

38 mins: Nditi delivers a deep cross from the left looking for Swift. It nearly finds the winger before sliding out of play.

36 mins: Howes' goal kick is held up in the wind and forces Makasi to make a great last-ditch tackle on Brown.

34 mins: Chelsea indulge in a spot of keep ball, knocking the ball from side to side with the visitors quite content to keep their shape. Eventually the ball does go forward and is too long for anyone and rolls out of play.

32 mins: The game is starting to suffer as a result of the conditions but still the Hammers look to attack with Brown a willing runner up top.

30 mins: Amoo is forced to put the ball out for a corner. Baker takes with the ball looping into the wind and arrowing into the top of Howes' net.  

28 mins: The rain again hammers down into the surface, which by the looks of it, could do without it.

26 mins: Back come the Hammers through Page who shoots from distance after the ball is cleared from a Bywater free-kick. His shot is much too high however.

24 mins Goal: Ake slots the ball home after latching onto a through ball to put Chelsea back in front.

22 mins: Baker takes a corner from the left. It's low and into the centre of the area, Amoo tries to clear but the rebound falls to Davey who tucks it away only to see the linesman raise his flag.

20 mins: Painful one for Page as he clatters into the hoardings after receiving a shove. He looks like he'll be ok to continue however.

18 mins: Signs that the Hammers have settled into this game with some nice possession play around Chelsea's box before it is eventually snuffed out by Christensen.

16 mins: Swift tries to break through the Hammers backline but his touch is too heavy and Howes collects.

13 mins GOAL: Amoo scores! The full-back reaches the byline and tries to pull it back into the centre. The ball flicks off Ake before outwitting Beeney in the Chelsea goal. Game on!

11 mins: A breathless start here with both sides looking to attack from the off. Interesting to see how the Hammers respond to their early set-back.

9 mins: Onariase strides out of defence and is relieved to see a foul given for a challenge by Loftus-Cheek as the ball rolls away from him.

6 mins Goal: Brown puts Chelsea ahead as he cuts inside and blasts a shot past Howes.

5 mins: Cullen lays a ball through for Bywater who has the angle against him but strikes it well at the keeper who parries it out for a corner. He takes it himself but scuffs it and it's easily cleared.

3 mins: Cullen concedes a free-kick in a dangerous position just outside the area. Baker strikes a curling effort over the wall and Howes produces a brilliant save to tip it onto the post.

1 min: Straight away the Hammers nearly go in front as Mavila closes down Beeney's kick as the ball goes back to him from the kick-off. It goes just wide! What a start that would have been!

Kick-off: Chelsea kick us off in their usual home strip with the Hammers sporting claret and blue.

7:02pm: Here they come! The players emerge for what will be the Development Squad's first outing of 2014. Steve Potts and his U18s face a big task tonight taking on London rivals Chelsea for a place in the quarter-finals of the U21 Premier League Cup.

6:50pm: Around 15 minutes left until we get underway here as the players trot back into the dressing rooms to make their final preperations.

6:40pm: The pitch is already cutting up quite badly as the Hammers play some keep ball in their half of the pitch. The weather has been deteriorating since the team arrived and now it's the turn of the pitch to worsen with just under half an hour until kick-off.

6:30pm: Steve Potts will take charge of the Development Squad tonight with Tony Carr alongside him in the dugout. The pair will be keen to shackle John Swift who with ten goals in 16 appearances to his name this season is the Blues danger man. The wide man also scored when the teams last met back in November.

6:25pm: The Hammers are the first team to emerge from the tunnel to begin their pre-match preperations shortly follwed by their hosts.

6:15pm: Sam Howes and Gines Guzman are out to begin their warm-up with goalkeeping coach Jerome John on the pitch which looks in good nick despite the constant rain.

6.00pm: The team news is in and as expected the Hammers have selected a team consisting wholly of the Club's U18 contingent. It's a big night for members of Steve Potts' squad who will make the step-up to what, for some, will be there first taste of U21 football. Sam Howes and Kieran Bywater both played 90 minutes in the last round against Bristol City and keep their places in the side. The full team can be found at the bottom of the page.

The Development Squad kick-off 2014 tonight when they take on Chelsea for a place in the Under-21 Premier League Cup quarter-finals at Aldershot's Electrical Services Stadium. These two produced an absolute cracker when they went head-to-head in the Barclays U21 Premier League where Nathan Ake scored a last gasp equaliser to earn the Blues a 3-3 draw on the same ground back in November.This tie promises to take on an altogether different look for the Hammers with their team selection altered due to the participation of several members of Nick Haycock's squad in the first team's FA Cup with Budweiser tie against Nottingham Forest yesterday. George Moncur, Sebastian Lletget, Callum Driver, Danny Potts, Danny Whitehead, Matthias Fanimo and Blair Turgott were all involved at the City Ground and their absence means the Club's Under-18s to fill the void.

The young Hammers beat Bristol City to reach this stage thanks to goals from Whitehead and Elliot Lee whilst Chelsea saw off Cardiff City to get this far. Indeed that fixture at Ashton Gate back on 2 December was West Ham's last match, with a league encounter against Reading falling victim to the weather in between.