It was only a half-mistake, in truth, when Stoke City U23s goalkeeper Blondy Noukeu misplaced a pass on the edge of his own area seven minutes into the match.
But Joe Powell’s eyes lit up. He saw only opportunity.
While it’s one thing to have the vision to visualise the finish that followed, it is entirely another to have the ability to enact its execution.
But those who have witnessed Powell’s technical brilliance on a regular basis in Premier League 2 Division 2 this season will not have been surprised by what transpired that October night: a sumptuously measured, brilliantly-flighted lob from all of 30 yards to set the Hammers on their way to a 4-0 win at bet365 Stadium.
Such a moment perfectly encapsulated the potential of a young midfielder at the heart of an all-conquering U23s side this season. Regularly sporting the No10 shirt, with six goals and four assists to his name, Powell has been imperious.
My final step is to make it to the first-team, and it’s something I’ve aspired to do since I was six years old starting out at West Ham
Joe Powell
“I’ve really enjoyed the first few months of this season!” the 21-year-old admitted. “The boys came flying out of the blocks looking really sharp, and from the first game up until now it’s stayed that way.
“The only three games we’ve lost so far have been in the cups. In the league we’ve been unbeaten and the boys have really shown just how good they can be.
“I’ve had loads of opportunities so far – virtually every game I’ve been fit to play, I’ve started and played 90 minutes, so the coaches have shown a lot of trust in me, and luckily I’ve been able to show them what I’m capable of.”
At the time of writing, the U23s have played 13 of their 2019/20 league fixtures, winning eleven of them and drawing the other two.
They currently enjoy a one-point lead over Manchester United at the top of the table, and have been a reliable source of entertainment, passion and goals, goals, goals – the U23s have plundered 27 in their last seven league games.
While two close defeats led to Leasing.com Trophy group stage elimination, impressive wins over Valencia ‘B’ and Brighton & Hove Albion in their Premier League International Cup group have put them in a strong position to qualify for further knockout football, pending future results.
It has been an impressive first half-season in charge for Lead Coach Dmitri Halajko – supported by assistant Steve Potts – and Powell credits the duo hugely for the side’s form.
“The impact they’ve made has been massive in terms of the trust they’ve shown in the players and the effort they’ve thrown into the training sessions,” Powell noted.
“The amount that they want to help not just individuals, but the team as a whole, shows a lot in what they do, and the fact that they want to develop everybody as much as they can has been great for us all.”
Powell’s affiliation with Claret and Blue is lifelong. A boyhood fan raised in Canning Town, he attended the same secondary school as Mark Noble, while older brother Joe also graduated from the Academy of Football.
The midfield maestro has enjoyed a steady rise through the ranks, frequently captaining the U18s and U23s along the way,
After enjoying a memorable first-team debut against Macclesfield Town last season, setting up two goals for fellow Chadwell Heath graduate Grady Diangana in an 8-0 thrashing, Powell joined EFL League Two side Northampton Town for the second half of their campaign.
A natural-born leader on and off the pitch, Powell can often be seen fighting for every ball and geeing up his teammates, applying the benefit of this experience to those around him.
“Being on loan just demonstrates to you the importance of getting three points on the board and putting your all into every game,” he observed. “It gives you a little bit more of a fighting spirit and, being in that kind of environment, it helps you grow. You can share that with the younger boys in the Academy squads too, and that’s helped us massively this season as well.
“This season especially, I’ve been given licence to show that a little bit more. During my loan, leadership was one thing I learned about from the more experienced boys there – everything from their mannerisms in the changing room to what they do out on the pitch.
“My final step is to make it to the first-team, and it’s something I’ve aspired to do since I was six years old starting out at West Ham. Playing for my boyhood club – and obviously my local team – has been a real pleasure for 15 years now, and hopefully there are plenty more years to come.”
