West Ham U21s 1-0 Everton U21s

On a very cold night at Rush Green home of Grays Athletic Everton were edged out by the odd goal which came in the 69th minute by Elliot Lee´s header and gave Everton two defeats in a week.

Everton made the trip to Rush Green Stadium to play their second game in4 days after suffering a home defeat to Arsenal last Monday.

The host´s West Ham beat Bolton away from home the same day and remain top of the table having only dropping 4 points all season.

West Ham won the fixture against Everton earlier in the season at Finch Farm with a 5-1 emphatic victory .
The game was just underway when the home side had a shout for a penalty as the ball seemed to come off Shane Duffy´s hand after an attempted clearance.

Full back Tyias Browning produced the Toffees first attack with a run down the right finding Gethin Jones but the shot was powerless.

It was Browning again involved again with another run which finds Chris Long to see his shot saved with ease by Jake Larkins.

Larkins was called upon once more on 21 minutes as he denies a Duffy volley after Kennedy had taken a free kick.

Callum Driver who made 8 loan appearances with Burton Albion teased Taudul with a cross not long after which sailed over the frame of the goal.

Taudul the Everton stopper was in the action to deny Elliot Lee with a fine save.

Considering the cold conditions the game was a good spectacle with chances for both teams , Pennington went close with a header on the half hour mark.

George Moncur had a decent chance for the Irons but somehow dragged his shot wide of the target.
Taudul made a good save for the visitors in the final minute of the half as West Ham won a corner taken by Fanimo which was met by centre back Wearen to see Taudul get an important fingertip to keep the ball out.

HALF TIME WEST HAM U21´S 0 EVERTON U21´S 0

The home side made the brighter start with two openings inside the first four minutes, Lee´s cross forces Taudul to make an easy catch then the handful Lee sets up McCallum but Everton´s defence react well to clear the danger.

Two chances in two minutes fell Everton´s way through Vellios. The first was close to a goal with their fist threat of the second half on 56 minutes as Vellios blasts wide from 18 yards then he advantage of a mistimed back pass by Driver to be left with Larkins to beat but somehow blasts the ball way over the top with the Hammers feeling they were let off the hook.

Two chances then fell to the host´s with a beautiful combined move involving Fanimo, Lee then the attacking midfield American Lletget goal bound shot was blocked then a clearance off the line by Pennington following a corner from Fanimo.

5 minutes later, Everton were finally beaten with a well despatched header from Elliot Lee putting away a corner from Blair Turgott.

3 minutes later goal scorer Lee send s Polish keeper Taudul sprawling across his goal with an effort from 20 yards out.

Taudul did well to keep out a drive from Moncur with the clock running down inside the last ten minutes.
In all fairness to Everton they had three chances to get even firstly with a 40 yard rasping shot from full back Touray, Lundstram 2 minutes later tried his luck from 30 yards and then right at the death it was Vellios who caught a sweet volley from Browning´s cross to see his effort crash off the post into the awaiting arms of keeper Larkins.

Next up for Everton is the visit of West Brom to Finch Farm a week on Sunday

FULL TIME WEST HAM U21´S 1 EVERTON U21´S 0

West Ham: Larkins, Driver, Potts, Moncur, Wearan, Shaw, Turgott, Lletget, McCallum, Fanimo, Lee, (Piuionne 79)Unused Subs: Guznan, Rosique, Ruddock, Powell, Hunt

Everton: Taudul, Browning, Touray, Lundstarm, Duffy, Pennington, Jones, Grant, Vellios, Long(Johns 72), Kennedy. Unused subs: Springthorpe, Forrester, Kelly, Hammar