West Ham United U21s 1-0 Ipswich Town U21s
Pre-Season Match, Rush Green Stadium, Saturday 9 August 2025, 12noon BST
Junior Robinson’s strike separated West Ham United U21s and Ipswich Town U21s at Rush Green on Saturday afternoon, as Mark Robson’s young Hammers rounded off a productive pre-season schedule with a hard-fought win over their Premier League 2 rivals.
The right-back scored after 72 minutes as Robson’s side gained momentum in a tight game in east London, with focus now shifting to the 2025/26 campaign that begins away at Woking in the National League Cup on Wednesday evening.
Ipswich started the brighter of the two teams, with only the finishing touch lacking.
The first opportunity came as early as the first minute when Ryan Carr stung Finlay Herrick’s palms with a right-foot shot, then Luis Brown stood tall to block Tommy Taylor’s goalbound effort.
But having weathered the storm, the young Hammers almost scored with their first attack as Dan Rigge worked himself space on the edge of the box and hit a low-angled shot, but it was a comfortable save for George Barrett, before Regan Clayton was picked out on the left, having charged up from the back, and he drove into the box and struck an effort that was saved by Barrett.
Robson’s charges continued to show encouraging signs. Josh Landers silkily glided into the box, only to see his penalty appeals denied, while at the other end Ash Boatswain headed just wide of Herrick’s left-hand post.
West Ham hit back shortly after the half-hour mark, with Rigge stealing between two defenders and seeing a snapshot from ten yards tipped wide by the Tractor Boys’ No1, then Landers’ long-range effort was blocked.
And as the first-half appeared to be petering out, the Premier League 2 newcomers saw a goal disallowed as Ashley Boatswain, who had been assisted by a header across goal from Corbin Mthunzi, was ruled offside.
Into the second half, and Brown scooped a shot over the bar immediately after the restart, when a corner from the left fell to him unmarked, then Leon Ayinde’s shot was blocked by the Irons’ rearguard.
As could have been predicted in a pre-season friendly, Robson made a raft of West Ham substitutions in an attempt to alter the course of the game, and the Hammers looked threatening on the counter.
Yet it was Ipswich who threatened next, when a cross was played into substitute Rio Morgan by Ashton Boswell just inside the area, but his acrobatic effort down was comfortably gathered in by Herrick.
Then, Abube Onuchukwu spurned the visitors’ best chance to put them ahead after 70 minutes, but he couldn't keep his header down from Steven Turner’s free-kick.
Moments later, they were punished, as a moment of despair invited the Hammers into the lead after 72 minutes, when goalkeeper Henry Gray spilled a relatively tame Robinson strike into his own net.
With that, our defence were forced to batten down the hatches as the Tractor Boys pressed for an equaliser, to ensure we ended pre-season in the best way possible.
West Ham United U21s: Herrick, Medine (Robinson 62), Briggs, Oyebade (Luizão 62), Brown (Adiele 62), Clayton © (Mayers 62), Hargan (Battrum 62), Kanté (Akpata 43), Rigge (Caliste 62), Sowunmi (Balogun 62), Landers (Ajala 62)
Ipswich Town U21s: Barrett (Gray HT), Babb, Boswell, Mthunzi, Onuchukwu, Turner (Elliot 62), Mendel-Idowu, Carr, Boatswain (Trialist A 62), Taylor (Pitts 62), Ayinde (62)
Robson: It’s nice to sign-off pre-season with a win
Victory against Ipswich Town signalled the end to a busy pre-season for West Ham United U21s, which has saw the young Hammers take in games against National League, National League South and League One opponents, and lead coach Mark Robson believes his squad are in a good place ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
Reflecting on a performance that had a bit of everything, the 56-year-old praised his side for their grit and determination to win Saturday’s pre-season clash against the Tractor Boys.
He said: “It was obviously our last game before we start our season on Wednesday against Woking, so it was good to give everybody a bit more game time.
“I think, for the majority of players, they’ve had the same amount of game time, which is really good, so everyone's had enough time and we’re really pleased with that, and it’s nice to sign-off with a win.
“If I'm being honest, I didn't think there was much in the game. I thought it was quite a tight, cagey game, so to come away with a win was pleasing, to take us into next week.
“We've had a lot of games against senior opposition, so to play against a team the same sort of ages as us, it was nice to get that under our belt before we go into the start of the season.
“I thought we played at times very well, and I thought at times we weren't bad. We could probably be a lot better than we showed today, but most importantly, it was another really good workout for us.
“It's been a really good challenge for the boys [during pre-season], and everybody should be ready and raring to go now into the start of the season, and hopefully we can start the season hitting the ground running.”
Clayton: I’m feeling the benefit of having a full pre-season for the first time in three years!
Defender Regan Clayton says he’s entering the 2025/26 season in optimal condition and is already feeling the benefits of his summer graft, which has seen him enjoy a full pre-season for the first time in years.
Speaking after captaining the U21s to their second pre-season victory at Rush Green against Ipswich Town, the 20-year-old said: “I think it was a good final test. I thought Ipswich were a good side, but I think in moments we showed really good quality.
“We've just got to be more consistent with that now going into the season.
“I'm really enjoying it. I think it's good that we've had loads of games because we've got lots of new faces that have come in to try and understand our system and how we want to play, and I think it's a been really beneficial playing against different men's teams.
“So I think it's been a good test to play against both men’s and academy teams, especially for the boys that are going out on loan and are trying to see what that level's like and test yourself against more experienced professionals.
“It’s been a really productive pre-season for me because the last two pre-seasons I've been injured, so it's been nice to actually get a full pre-season under my belt, preparing for a season.
“I've really enjoyed it, and I'm trying to work double hard, whether I stay here or go out on loan, to make sure I'm as ready as possible.”
