West Ham’s U21 side played their first PL2 match since November on Friday, facing Sunderland. The Hammers dug in deep to secure a hard earned 1-0 win, marking their return to league action with an important three points.

The goal that ultimately decided the match came just before the hour mark. Kamarai Swyer played a ball to Josh Ajala who drove the ball past his marker before firing his effort low into the far corner to put West Ham in front. That goal made it three in three for 18 year old Ajala. The Hammers starting eleven featured five scholars from the U18s.

Mark Robson’s side remained organised at the back, defending as a unit and doing extremely well to effectively nullify Sunderland’s threat going forward. This defensive discipline was enough to see the Hammers hold on, secure the three points and pick up a fourth consecutive win in all competitions.

Speaking to the Club’s official website after the game, U21s lead coach Mark Robson was pleased his side were able to come away with the three points and was full of praise for their opponents Sunderland.

“It was a really good result tonight. It was a hard game. I was really impressed with Sunderland and the way they went about their business.” said Robson, who went on to add: “It was like a Football League game; they made it hard for us. We dug in. It was a hard, tough battle, and to come out with the three points is really pleasing.”

West Ham’s U21 side now have some great momentum behind them. Four wins on the spin will give them plenty of confidence going into their next run of fixtures. This recent run offers a solid foundation for the team to build on as they aim to climb the PL2 table and improve on their current 10th-place standing.

There will be plenty of confidence and belief in and around the academy at present since new manager Graham Potter’s arrival. His willingness to give young players opportunities is clear with Ollie Scarles having featured regularly in recent weeks and Lewis Orford coming off the bench to make his debut against Crystal Palace. The faith shown in youngsters by new boss Potter will be welcomed by academy staff and is a positive step forward.

Additionally, players who are performing well at youth level will feel confident that their performances can be rewarded with opportunities to showcase their ability with their seeming to be a clearer pathway emerging to the first team.