Match report: Under-21s beaten in opener by West Ham

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Shannon Ruth's team lost 2-0 on Friday night.

2024-08-16T21:10+01:00

Jacob Vickers made his Premier League 2 debut in the defeat. 📷 by Paul Hazlewood.

A young Albion side lost their opening PL2 fixture of the season at Lancing, but gave a good account of themselves in a feisty encounter against a West Ham side that scored a goal in each half but finished the game with ten men.

Two players made their Albion debuts in the competition, two more their first starts, while 16-year-old England youth players Harry Howell and Freddie Simmonds were also in the line-up.

Both full backs were quickly on the attack. Shannon Ruth’s side could have been ahead after six minutes when Harry Mills’s low cross from the left was nearly prodded just wide of his own near post by West Ham’s Brazilian defender Luizao. And right back Charlie Tasker blazed a decent chance over the bar after former Reading striker Caylan Vickers’ effort had been blocked.

But after 20 minutes it was West Ham who went ahead. Jacob Vickers did well to block a shot from Josh Ajala at the expense of a corner. But Albion failed to clear the flag kick and Sean Moore’s low shot through a crowded penalty area sped past goalkeeper Hugo Fisher’s right hand and in.

The Seagulls looked to strike back quickly and skipper Jamie Mullins saw his well-controlled volley dip inches past the far post. Josh Duffus was causing problems with some powerful runs, and former Sao Paulo centre back Luizao was shown a yellow card for ending one of them with a reckless sliding challenge.

Marcus Ifill was denied from close range early in the second half when Hammers right back Junior Robinson slid in to flick away a low cross from Duffus. And then it was goalkeeper Finlay Herrick’s turn to keep Albion off the scoresheet when he blocked Duffus’s shot from 12 yards.

Robinson, previously booked, was shown a second yellow card 20 minutes from time after kicking the ball away, and Albion pushed forward in an attempt to take advantage but could not force an equaliser against a determined Hammers defence.

And in added time substitute Chukwuemeka Adiele broke away to score a second.