West Ham U23s made it nine wins in ten games as they beat Swansea City 4-2 at the Landore Training Centre.
Nathan Holland’s brace and goals from Anthony Scully and Dan Kemp helped West Ham get all three points for Dmitri Hlajko’s side.
Halajko, who wanted a response from The Irons’ International Cup defeat to Wolfsburg, made two changes from their midweek.
Jamal Baptiste replaced Winston Reid and midfielder Bernardo Rosa moving into defence for the return of Dan Kemp, who missed Wednesday’s game due to a knock.
Slow Starters
Swansea started the game on the front foot, with a series of corners but none failed to test West Ham’s goalkeeper Joseph Anang.
Anang was called into action moments later, as he reacted well to save Cooper’s header from another Evans corner.
The Swans’ excellent use of crosses paid dividends, as Evans’ corner was headed into the air by Goncalo Cardoso but was parried by Anang which Liam Cullen quickly reacted to, by side footing the ball into the net from close range in the 16th minute.
Game Changer
West Ham were forced into a change, an injury to Emmanuel Longelo forced the left back to be replaced by Harrison Ashby.
West Ham equalised, from a counterattack from a Swansea corner, Cardoso’s long pass was met by Anthony Scully who kept his composure and tucked the ball into Jack Gould’s near post.
Scully’s customary goal levelled the sides going into half time.
The Irons turned the game around, shortly into the second half. Ashby’s pass to Nathan Holland, who dragged the ball past Ryan Bevan and cut inside before releasing a right footed shot which curled low into Josh Gould’s far post.
Attacking Intent
West Ham created chances by winning the ball in midfield, with the closest effort coming from Joe Powell, who dispossessed Cullen and drove at Swansea’s defence, unleashing a powerful strike from 25 yards which flew just wide of goal.
Seconds after Brandon Cooper failed to finish off a well worked attack for the Swans, Anang’s quick thinking released Holland on the left-hand side, whose cross found Scully but was the Irishman’s shot which was goal bound, was blocked by Erick Kenko.
Quick Fire Goals
Nathan Holland, who was a threat throughout the second half, got his second goal of the game, a driving run from the halfway line into the box without a challenge from a Swansea player, before calmly stroked a curling effort into the bottom right corner in the 81st minute.
Three minutes later, The Hammers scored their fourth of the afternoon, through Dan Kemp who moved from central midfield to the right, because of the debuting substitute, Daniel Chesters. Kemp latched onto Chesters’ interception, to release a thunderous strike, just outside of the box to leave Gould routed to his spot.
Kemp’s goal is the fourth consecutive away game that West Ham have scored four goals in.
The Closing Stages
Bernardo Rosa was close to adding a fifth goal for the league leaders, as his half volley was creeping into the top corner was well saved by Gould, tipping the ball over the bar.
Swansea pulled a goal back in injury time, after substitute Ali Al-Hamadi found Cullen, whose curling left footed strike found the top corner to get his second goal of the game and his seventh of the season.
Upcoming Fixture
The Irons travel to St. James Park for their final group game against Exeter in the EFL Cup on Wednesday which promises to be a high scoring game, after their heroic 5-4 win against Newport and 4-3 defeat at Cheltenham.
