Grays Athletic 1 - 5 West Ham United XI

After resting a number of players for the trip to Ramsgate, Hakan Hayrettin started with a full strength team against Ian Hendon’s young team. Ex-West Ham youth player Danny Bunce started in midfield, whilst Bertie Brayley, one time FA Youth Cup winner with the Hammers was on the bench.

The Hammers’ new signing from Stoke City, Abdoulaye Faye made his first start for the side after originally injuring himself on the club’s pre-season game against FC Basel. He, along with Frank Nouble, Junior Stanislas and Zavon Hines were those with first team experience for the opponents. The latter of the four was on target in the last match between the two sides, when West Ham visited the Recreation Ground in July 2009, winning 2-1.

Grays started well and shocked their illustrious visitors with the opening goal in just the second minute. A long clearance from Ali Aksoy saw new striker Louis Dennis get behind the West Ham defence, and he buried his shot past Cowler into the bottom left hand corner of the net.

From the restart, the visitors got into the game themselves with a couple of chance before getting the equalising goal at the third attempt. Stanislas saw his freekick from the edge of the area go high over the frame of the goal, before Nouble’s cross across the six-yard box was cleared. A second freekick from a similar position to the first saw Stanislas get the better of the Grays keeper as he curled a shot wide of the wall and into the bottom right hand corner of the net.

Play switched from end-to-end, before Lee Flynn delivered a hopeful ball up to Jean-Michel Sigere. Faye should have won the ball comfortably, however he didn’t judge the flight of the ball and the Frenchman shot at goal only to see Cowler make a fine save. The young keeper started the next phase of play as Hines gained possession inside the Grays half. With two attackers against a struggling Grays defence, he laid the ball across to Nouble who took it past the keeper to give the Hammers the lead.

Minutes later it was three for the visitors as Hines was again the creator. The Republic of Ireland youth international Eoin Wearen made a surging run through the defence to receive a clever pass from his team-mate before firing a low shot past Aksoy.

Grays grew in confidence as they created a number of half-chances which the visiting defence coped with without too many problems. Joao Carlos, Harry Agombar and Kenny Beaney were making things tick for the home side, but the team lacked the clinical finishing which was required.

Prior to halftime there was a coming together between Abdulla and Craig Pope which required the referee to get involved to calm things down. Just before the whistle, Sigere was bundled to the ground inside the area by Cowler, but despite being in front of the linesman, nothing was given.

Grays changed into their more familiar blue shirts for the second half, and play started at quick pace. Both sides attacked down the flanks, and Carlos and Dennis were the more threatening for the Blues.

Shortly before the hour, Hakan started making a number of changes which affected the flow of play, and it wasn’t much longer before Stanislas was on the attack again. His hard work paid off as his efforts forced an error in the Grays defence, and as Nouble’s shot was saved, Stanislas himself got his second from just inside the area.

A late effort from Pope was off target, and it was the final chance before Keiron Sadlier volleyed high into the net from six yards to make it five for the Hammers.