West Ham’s U21s smashed Colchester United 4-0, but Steve Potts wants the youngster to “keep on pushing on”.

The Bristol Street Motors Trophy (formerly known as the EFL trophy) has always given a unique opportunity for youngsters to gain experience against professional teams. More often than not, it’s the senior players that come out on top, making it all the more impressive that the Hammers have won all four of their games in the competition so far.

Dan Chesters, George Earthy, Lewis Orford and Divin Mubama all found the back of the net in the U21s 4-0 win against Colchester sending them through to the last 16.

Unsurprisingly, lead coach Steve Potts was delighted with the win but he still believes the young Irons have more to give. “There was some really good stuff,” Potts told the official site. “It was maybe not as fluent as we have always been but there was really good stuff against Colchester United.”

“They are League opposition and senior pros, so they made it difficult for us, but I thought the boys worked it out really well.”

“Every player has got to keep on pushing on,” he continued, “because you can’t afford to stand still. You’ve got to keep on improving.”

Experiencing the physicality of the professional game is invaluable, and being able to get at least one more chance at that in the Bristol Street Motors trophy is massive for their growth. “It gives us another game in this competition and that’s the way we are viewing it,” Potts confirmed. “So, it’s great the boys will get that chance to play hopefully in a senior EFL Stadium and against another senior side.”

Despite winning comfortably in the end, the former Academy of Football graduate would have liked to have seen his side find their feet a bit earlier on into the game. “I thought we started a little bit slowly,” he confessed, even though the first goal was scored just 8 minutes in. “I thought we started to take control of the game after that and got the goal. The finishing was good, which you need to do at this level. And that gave us that breathing space.”

As well as being through to the last 16, it now means that the U21s are unbeaten in their last 15 matches. This impressive feat just goes to show how much talent is in that squad and there genuinely are so many players who could go on to play at the highest level, if they continue to develop. 

The round of 16 draw takes place tomorrow at 6:30pm. Since their addition to the trophy in 2016, no youth side has made the final but if there is any group of youngsters that can make history, it’s these boys.