Arsenal U21s 2-2 West Ham United U21s
Premier League 2, Mangata Developments Stadium, Saturday 4 October 2025, 1pm BST
West Ham United U21s twice led away at Arsenal but were forced to settle for a point after Louie Copley’s late equaliser denied them victory in an entertaining 2-2 draw at Meadow Park.
With Mark Robson and his staff on duty with the first team at Emirates Stadium, Head of Coaching and Player Development Greg Lincoln guided the young Hammers, who produced a disciplined display and went agonisingly close to taking all three points back to east London.
Arsenal controlled most of the possession in the opening exchanges, but our young Hammers showed patience in their press and real threat in transition.
Preston Fearon almost made the breakthrough after being picked out by Tyron Akpata, while Josh Landers went close to wriggling through the home defence.
At the other end, Tom Wooster and his back line of Airidas Golambeckis, Ezra Mayers and Rayan Oyebade were called upon to make several important interventions as Arsenal threatened.
The opener arrived on 35 minutes from a set-piece. Emeka Adiele’s delivery to the back post was headed across goal by Mayers, and when Arsenal failed to clear, Fearon was first to react, creating his own space before firing in from close range for his third goal of the season.
Parity was restored almost immediately as Arsenal’s Max Dowman drove forward down the middle and found the bottom corner from outside the box with his weaker foot, giving Wooster no chance and ensuring the sides went in level at the break.
If the first half had been largely about containment, the second began with a statement. Within nine minutes of the restart, West Ham started the strongest and struck again through Mayers. Adiele was again the provider, lifting a free-kick to the far post where Mayers rose highest to nod home his first goal at U21 level, capping a superb all-round display from the defender.
From there, Arsenal pressed hard for an equaliser, forcing Wooster into a string of saves, but West Ham continued to carry a threat on the counter. Fearon almost added his second when his curling effort was destined for the top corner, only to be denied by Tommy Setford’s flying save. Substitute Elisha Sowunmi also went close with a deflected strike.
It looked as though the visitors had done enough to withstand the pressure, but deep into stoppage time Arsenal found a way through. After Andre Harriman-Annous recycled a scuffed cross at the back post, he stood the ball up for Copley, who nodded home from close range to restore parity for a second and final time.
A frantic end-to-end last few minutes of stoppage time ensued but the full-time whistle confirmed a share of the points, extending our young Hammers’ unbeaten run in the league to four matches.
Arsenal U21s: Setford, Nichols (Ferdinand 82), Washington, Salmon, Clarke, Ibrahim, Stevens (Kamara 56), Copley ©, Harriman-Annous, Dowman, Sagoe Jr
Subs not used: Mitchell (GK), Lannin-Sweet, Dudziak
Goals: Dowman 37, Copley 90+3
Booked: Dowman
West Ham United U21s: Wooster, Golambeckis ©, Oyebade, Mayers, Medine, Fearon, Kanté (Sowunmi 74), Adiele, Caliste, Akpata, Landers (Brown 90)
Subs not used: Byrne (GK), Hargan, Colau
Goals: Fearon 35, Mayers 54
Booked: Kanté, Oyebade, Landers
Lincoln: There’s a real clear identity and playing style with the group
In the dugout this afternoon, stepping in for Mark Robson, was Head of Coaching and Player Development, Greg Lincoln. The former England youth coach, who joined the Hammers over the summer, was full of praise for the way his side rose to the challenge at Meadow Park.
“I think it was a fantastic challenge today for the players,” Lincoln reflected. “They acquitted themselves really, really well against what was a strong Arsenal U21s team. You could see some of the players in their side who have been involved with the senior team, like Tommy Setford and Max Dowman. The players relished that challenge and embraced it, and I think we put in a really solid and mature performance.”
Lincoln, who has been getting to know the Academy of Football since his arrival, has been working very closely with the U21s group this week as the development staff balance U21s and first-team duties.
“I’ve really, really enjoyed it,” he continued. “My job has been made easy, firstly because of the good work that’s already been going on. There’s a real clear identity and playing style with the group, and a clear way of working, which has made things much easier for me.
“It’s been good to get around and get to know the players on a deeper level. I think we have some high potential players, and our job now is to try and bridge that next gap from end-stage Academy football into senior football.
“We have a number of players out on loan at the minute, and whether it’s into our first team or the next step of a loan, it’s our job to equip them with the skills to survive and thrive with the demands of the game.”
