Ole Saue reports as West Ham’s development side struggle against Manchester United…
Nick Haycock’s West Ham side lost 2-1 to Manchester United at Rush Green on Friday night, as Will Keane scored the Reds’ winning goal in the 82nd minute.
Just before half-time, in form striker Elliot Lee had scored his fifth goal in four games as he put The Hammers level after a stunning James Wilson goal after 12 minutes.
While Under-21 regulars such as Raphael Spiegel, Reece Oxford and Reece Burke were unavailable for the game, the hosts fielded first-team players such as Anders Lindegaard, Tyler Blackett and former Hammers player Michael Carrick who returned from injury.
12 minutes into the game, Manchester United’s Saidy Janko could have put the guests in the lead as he hit the crossbar from the edge of the penalty area.
Seven minutes later, Wilson once again showed the crowd why he was handed his first-team debut at the end of last season. From just outside the penalty area he twisted and turned away from a defender before he placed the ball into the bottom right corner.
Five minutes before half-time, poor defending from Blackett allowed Lee to score his fifth goal in four games as he fired the ball into the top of the net seven yards out.
Two minutes into the second half, Wilson could have doubled his tally, but his effort from 10 yards went just over the bar.
In the 51th minute, Wilson once again could have put the Reds in the lead, but his shot from a slightly wide angle from inside the box went just outside the far post.
10 minutes before full-time, James Weir did a great job as he stumbled past the West Ham defence before he chipped the ball over Howes from wide angle to assist Will Keane who tapped the ball into an open net from close range.
While the guests climb to the top of the league, Haycock’s boys remain 11th in the league – and they now have two weeks to rest before they visit Norwich City in for their first away game since they lost away to Liverpool on 19th September.