Development Squad 4-2 RCD Espanyol
Absolute Sports Travel Cup
The Development Squad put four past their RCD Espanyol counterparts at Cambridge United on Sunday, as the Hammers completed their involvement in the Absolute Sports Travel Cup with a flourish.
Following Saturday's goalless draw against Shakhtar Donetsk, there was no shortage of goalmouth action this time round.
Paul McCallum's first-half spot-kick cancelled out Ivan Sales' opener for the Spaniards, before Elliot Lee finished off a fine team move to fire Nick Haycock's men in front.
Once Jose Antonio Raillo had levelled matters with another excellent strike, it was one way traffic, as Lee nodded home his second and Josh Cullen got in on the act with a fourth.
West Ham were good value for the victory and had gone close to breaking the deadlock in the 15th minute. Centre-half Emmanuel Onariase nodded Nathan Mavila's free-kick back across the six-yard box, where Jamie Harney's point-blank header was smothered by Nestor Diaz.
The opener came with 27 minutes gone and, arguably, against the run of play. Pol Mikel Lirola was afforded too much space on the right and duly picked out Sales, whose side-footed effort bobbled into the far corner.
The Hammers, however, were only behind for a matter of seconds. Djair Parfitt-Williams slid a neat ball into the feet of McCallum, who, with his back to goal, was rashly upended. Referee Darren Deadman pointed to the spot and McCallum converted in style, slotting home to the keeper's right.
Espanyol, meanwhile, might have retaken the lead in the half's final seconds, but Tim Brown dove to his right to claw away substitute Julian Luque's free-kick. The Spaniards had the first sight of goal after the break too, as Luque's near-post corner fell at the feet of Hector Rodriguez, but he blazed over the bar.
Then, as they did on Saturday, West Ham shuffled the entire pack on the hour, with Saturday's starters all joining the fray. And it had the desired effect, with the Hammers netting three times in the following 12 minutes.
Lee, fresh from a late double at Havant and Waterlooville, began the goal flurry, collecting from Sebastian Lletget before unleashing a delightful curler into the far corner.
As West Ham had done earlier in the piece, Espanyol responded in kind, squaring things up with 66 minutes gone. The ball was teed up for Raillo on the edge of the box, who clinically slammed beyond Brown.
But back came West Ham, through that man Lee again. After Sam Westley's diving header at the back post had thudded off the bar, the prolific Lee reacted first to nod home the rebound.
And the goals kept on coming, as Cullen seized on a loose ball to see a looping header drift beyond Diaz and nestle nicely in the opposite corner. West Ham's fourth rounded off an excellent afternoon for Haycock's charges, who return to action at Sutton United on Wednesday evening.
West Ham United: Brown (Boness 71), Knoyle (Westley 60), Mavila ( Page 60), Onariase (Burke 60), Harney (Oxford 60), Makasi (Cullen (60), Nasha (Bywater 60), Trialist (Lletget 60), Parfitt-Williams (Sadlier 60), Amoo (Gordon 35), (Turgott 60), (Pike 74), McCallum (Lee 60).
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