Highlights - West Ham PL2 1-3 Brighton

 

 

West Ham United PL2 1-3 Brighton and Hove Albion

FT: It's all over in the Premier League Cup at the Chigwell Construction Stadium. That scoreline is a little flattering on the visitors, because in truth, it was an even game with very little in the way goalscoring opportunities, especially in the first half. That said, we've ended with four in the clash. The result doesn't jeopardise the Hammers' chances of qualifying from this group E too much, but there's still work to do before their place in the knockout round is confirmed. We're finished here in Dagenham, and Brighton and Hove Albion are 3-1 winners.

90+4: Goal. As West Ham commit bodies forward, Brighton go again and Joe Ward scores a third for visitors.

90+2: Just a minute left here. Can the Hammers grab a late equaliser?

88: That was close! Declan Rice's backpass squirms past Spiegel and dribbles just wide. Corner kick! 

85: Marcus Browne shoots low but straight at the keeper, but he spills the effort and Martinez almost gets on the end of it. The Hammers are doing their best to grab a late equaliser here.

82: Great save by Spiegel! Henrik Bjordal races forward and smashes one at goal, but the keeper's equal to it. On comes former Hammers trainee Joe Ward for goalscorer Starkey.

79: Straight away, West Ham charge forward and Toni Martinez connects brilliantly from a cross. Ankergren is equal to his fierce effort, though.

78: During the Hammers' best spell of absolute domination, Quina loses the ball in midfield and Brighton break. Molumby charges forward and slips in Jesse Starkey who slots it past Spiegel to make it 2-1. So frustrating for the hosts.

73: More good football! A corner for the Hammers...Alex Pike steams in a just misses the fantastic delivery. Browne's set pieces have been spot on tonight.

70: Martinez lines one up from 25 yards and hits it well but it flies just over. This five minutes of the game has been better than the previous 65 minutes combined!

69: This is much better from West Ham. Great footwork from Martin Samuelsen finds some space for a Browne cross, and as Parfitt-Williams again gets his head to it, this time it canons over.

68: There had been a small spell of pressure from the Hammers and they made Brighton pay. It feels as though the hosts are now in the ascendancy. 

65: GOALLLLLLLLLL! Browne's delightful delivery is headed home by Parfitt-Williams from a couple of yards. He rose well and that felt like it had been coming! Come on you Irons!

64: Good stuff from one of the Hammers' brightest players tonight, Moses Makasi. He wins a corner. 

62: Browne's deep free-kick is put into a decent area, but Declan Rice's header goes out for goal kick.

60: Great football from the Hammers around the edge of the Brighton box but they can't get a shot away. Ankergren hasn't really been tested yet this evening.

56: Brighton look the most likely here to go on and add a second. So far in the competition, they've beaten Nottingham Forest 7-0 but their game against Leicester, which they were winning with around 20 minutes, was postponed due to a head injury to one of their players.

50: What a save by Spiegel! The stopper atones for his earlier mistake by saving a certain Vashon Neufville own goal. The ball hit the full-back's shins from a couple of yards out and Spiegel spares the youngster's blushes.

49: In fact, you can actually hear the players' studs on the top of the surface it's that hard. Still no chances in this second half.

46: We're back underway in Dagenham. The pitch looks noticeably more crisp and frozen than it did at the end of the first half - it's a chilly evening!

HT: That half is as disappointing as it gets for the Hammers. There was nothing in the match; neither side looked like scoring an unfortunate goalkeeping error for Spiegel gives Brighton the lead. Work to do in the second period.

43: Browne gets down the right and crosses and it's another good ball, but unfortunately West Ham fail to put any sort of pressure on the visiting defence once again and it's easily cleared.

40: Goal for the visitors. Jason Molumby does well to arrive in the box right on cue from Cox's cross, and as he volleys towards goal, his effort is spilled by Raphael Spiegel and it slips through the stopper's body to squirm home. He'll be disappointed with that.

38: Brighton threaten again. Full-back George Cox bursts down the left and delivers well, but Harper's overhead kick goes wide. Shortly after, Jesse Starkey works Spiegel who gets down well. 

35: Good break from West Ham but again they can't fill the box and after a cross, Brighton break. Will Collar tries his luck from distance and with Spiegel off his line, cracks a shot against the bar. Duffus hits the target from the rebound but Pike superbly challenges again to divert it out for a corner. The most exciting minute of the match as yet!

31: Browne shoots, but again it is from 25 yards, and again it's wide. 

30: Fantastic last ditch tackle by Alex Pike to deny Courtney Duffus a clean strike on goal. The forward has looked Brighton's most dangerous player so far - he's on trial from Everton tonight.

27: Martinez goes down clutching his ankle but is back on his feet 30 seconds later. Not too much to write home about here so far at the CCS.

23: Great ball in by Browne! But Brighton clear when no claret shirt attacks the ball and break. Jack Harper sends in a cross from the left but nobody is there to finish.

22: It's the usual culprits, Marcus Browne and Domingos Quina shining here and looking to make things happen for the Hammers. Browne wins a corner which he'll take himself from the left.

17: Close! Marcus Browne sets his sights from 25 yards with a free-kick, and curls it inches wide. The best chance - probably the only one - of the game so far.

13: Martin Samuelsen heads towards goal from a corner but it's easily taken by keeper Casper Ankergren. The stopper is 37-years-old and tonight playing in the U23s' team!

11: Good claim from Raphael Spiegel in goal there who releases quickly and gets the Hammers on the counter attack. Spiegel has been in great form for the PL2 side recently, making some impressive saves each time he turns out.

7: Brighton give the ball away and the Hammers look to break, but Martinez can't quite slip his pass through to Djair Parfitt-Williams.

4: The U23s are hoping to make up for Monday's disappointing defeat to Fulham at Craven Cottage. They're in a good position in the Premier League Cup, but there are another round of fixtures to come after tonight's clash.

1: Impeccably observed, as you'd expect. We're underway at Dagenham and Brighton are straight on the attack.

6:50pm: We'll have a minute of silence at the Chigwell Construction Stadium tonight to pay respects to those who lost their lives in a plane crash involving a Brazilian football team.

6:30pm: The lads are warming up ready for their third Premier League Cup group clash. They have already beaten Leicester and Nottingham Forest so can they make it a clean sweep tonight? 

PL2: Spiegel; Westley, Pike, Rice (c), Neufville; Makasi, Quina; Parfitt-Williams, Browne, Samuelsen; Martinez.

Subs not used: Sylvestre, Matrevics, Kemp, Diangana, Gordon.

Goals: Parfitt-Williams 65

Bookings: Parfitt-Williams 90+4

Brighton and Hove Albion: Ankegren, Hunt, Cox, Collar, Hall, Hutchinson, Bjordal, Molumby, Duffus, Harper (Tighe 61), Starkey (Ward 82).

Subs not used: Barnett, Vose, Cadman.

Goals: Molumby 40, Starkey 78, Ward 90+4

Bookings: Hall 61, Starkey 81

6pm: Good evening and welcome to the Chigwell Construction Stadium for tonight's Premier League Cup Group E contest between West Ham United and Brighton and Hove Albion. The Hammers top the group so far and will take a step closer to qualifying for the next phase with a positive result this evening. Team news to follow!