After a run of four consecutive defeats, West Ham’s U18 side returned to winning ways on Tuesday evening with a 1-0 win against Fulham.

The Hammers made a positive start to the match. They enjoyed the majority of possesion and created a number of chances early on, with both Ajala and Oyebade going close to putting the young Hammers in front. West Ham’s persistence paid off just shy of the hour mark when Hargan took full advantage of a defensive mistake to give Lauris Coggin’s side the lead.

Pushing for a second goal, the Hammers came mightily close to extending their lead in the 77th minute. Elisha Sowunmi’s wonderful effort from a free kick just outside the box rattled the crossbar. Lauris Coggin’s side had to stay resilient late on as Fulham searched for an equaliser.

Finley Hooper made a superb save denying Fulham an equaliser, and despite Adiele’s red card in the 87th minute, West Ham held on to secure a hard fought win and a clean sheet.

Speaking after his side’s win, U18s lead coach Lauris Coggin said: “I think we need to celebrate the togetherness, endeavour and quality that we showed today. Obviously, I’m really pleased for Riley Hargan, who works relentlessly every single day, to put in a performance like he did today and get rewarded with the winning goal was fantastic.”

The young Hammers showed real character grinding out a win against Fulham, especially after having endured a difficult run of form recently. Their resilience, even in the face of adversity, having gone down to ten men in the closing stages of the game, was key to seeing them hold on and secure the three points. While there is still room for improvement in the final third, this win should the Hammers confidence to kick on and build more consistency.