As a West Ham fan, I sometimes like to think that if we were winning all the time, it would get boring. Luckily for me, none of the major branches of the club secured a victory this weekend.
On Saturday morning, I was at Little Heath reporting on the Academy as West Ham U18 wasted a 2-0 lead at home to Spurs U18 to take a 3-3 draw, before I headed to Upton Park to watch the first team get picked apart by Southampton.
Then on Sunday, I went for a long trip to Bristol as Keynsham Ladies came from behind to beat West Ham Ladies, while up at Manchester City, the Development Squad played out a 1-1 draw.
West Ham United U18 3-3 Tottenham Hotspurs U18
West Ham Goals: Jordan Brown (2), Manny Onariase.
Steve Potts’ Academy side however do remain unbeaten after three league games this season, with the Spurs game following an opening day victory at West Brom and a home draw with Leicester City.
West Ham named a youthful U18 side that contained first year scholars and schoolboys, with England U18 left back Kyle Knoyle stepping in once again to captain the side after former captain Kieran Bywater stepped up to the Development Squad over the summer.
The Hammers got off to the perfect start when striker Jordan Brown and defender Manny Onariase smashed the home side into an early two goal lead, although Joe Pritchard and Luke Amos levelled the scores by half time.
After the break, Spurs midfielder Josh Onomah fired Spurs into the lead from the edge of the box, before Brown grabbed his second goal of the game immediately after to steal a point for the Hammers.
Keynsham Town Ladies 3-1 West Ham United Ladies
West Ham Goal: Emma Sherwood.
The West Ham Ladies left Upton Park and headed west at 9am on Sunday morning with the hopes of progressing to the next round of the FA Women’s Premier League Cup.
In the opening ten minutes, West Ham were dominant and exposed Keynsham’s high defensive line several times, but the finish eluded the team.
The Hammers were rewarded for their first half pressure when Emma Sherwood was in the right place to head Sarah McCrea’s corner into the back of the net.
After the break, Keynsham came back into the game through Pilar Garcia’s well taken goal, before Arianna Somaschini and Justine Lorton-Radburn ended the contest.
West Ham return to league action with a home fixture against Tottenham Ladies at Aveley FC on Thursday evening, before a trip down to Lewes on Sunday.
Manchester City U21 1-1 West Ham United Development Squad
West Ham Goals: Kieran Sadlier.
Both West Ham and Man City went into this game without a victory in their opening two league games this season, although the hosts had already gained a point unlike Nick Haycock’s side.
The Hammers Development Squad featured Reece Burke, who played a full 120 minutes for the first team against Sheffield United last week, alongside 15 year old Reece Oxford who was a substitute in that match too.
The visitors, like the other three Hammers teams this weekend, went ahead when Kieran Sadlier was well positioned to score after the City defence only half cleared Danny Potts’ cross.
Being the final West Ham game of the weekend, the win was minutes away from being secured when Man City’s Oliver Ntcham cut in from the wing to bury his shot low into the corner of the net.