In a match where all eleven players produced Man of the Match performances, it was Academy midfielder Preston Fearon who stole much of the spotlight with two top quality first-half finishes that set West Ham United U21s on their way to their joint-biggest margin of victory in the EFL Trophy, a 5-1 win at MK Dons.
Fearon has been on plenty of Hammers fans’ radar since his eye-catching cameo against Manchester United in the Premier League Summer Series, where his energy and creativity lit up the midfield on his senior debut. Remarkably, this is still his first full season at U21s level, having only just graduated from his scholarship in the summer after captaining the U18s to Premier League Cup glory.
That same spark which captured imaginations in the United States was on full display again at Stadium MK. But this time, Fearon added something new to his game, goals.
“I’ve been focusing on my finishing in training,” he explained. “When George [Earthy] set it, I just thought, shoot. And then my movement to get to the second goal is also something I’ve been looking to improve. It was a perfect cross from Mo [Kanté].“
Indeed, Fearon could have had a hat-trick had his long-range effort not been tipped away, but he insists his goals and the 5-1 win were only possible because of the team around him.
“I definitely enjoyed it, but I wouldn’t have been able to do it without the team. We played so well as a unit, especially in the first half. It was really good for all of us.”
Fearon’s impressive performance was met with a standing ovation from the 130 travelling West Ham supporters, a moment that clearly meant a lot to the 18-year-old, although admittedly most of them were already huge Fearon fans already!
“It was the first time I’ve had that kind of reception after coming off as a substitute,” he smiled. “It felt good, scoring two goals, playing well. To get that sort of reaction makes you feel like the fans see you as part of the club’s future. I just hope they recognise the effort I put in.”
“I had my nan, grandad, sister, sister’s boyfriend, brother, brother’s girlfriend, mum, dad, two cousins and my dad’s friends there. I’ve got such a supportive family and they help me every game. They’re always coming to watch, home or away. They help so much.”
For all the excitement around his display against MK Dons, those who follow the Academy closely will know it was far from out of the blue.
After missing most of his first year as an U18 with a stress fracture in his spine, Fearon returned to captain the side to their first-ever Premier League Cup triumph. His step up to the U21s last season coincided with a seven-match winning streak in the league, a sign of the impact he is already making as he continues to make strides in his development.
