[Archived] Under 21's Match Report: Rovers 4 - 3 West Ham United

[Kamy100]

Parsonblue's match report from the Under 21's game:

Monday 14^th September 2015 – Barclays Under-21 Premier League Division Two

Blackburn Rovers Under-21 4 v 3 West Ham United Under-21

Blackburn Rovers Under-21 (1) 4

Green 20, Forrester 55, Mahoney 79, Mahoney 83

Simon Eastwood; Ryan Nyambe, Darragh Lenihan, Scott Wharton, Jack Doyle; Connor Mahoney, Sacha Petshi (Willem Tomlinson 72), David Carson, Modou Cham; Anton Forrester, Devarn Green.

Subs not used: Ryan Crump (gk), Sam Lavelle, Connor Thomson, Dean Rittenberg.

Manager: Damien Johnson

West Ham United (2) 3

Knoyle 10, Samuelson 32, Cullen 64

Tim Brown; Kyle Knoyle, Doneil Henry (Josh Pask 46), Emmanuel Onariase, Stephen Hendrie; Djair Parfitt-Williams, George Dobson, Josh Cullen, Martin Samuelsen; Marcus Brown (Amos Nasha 71); Elliott Lee.

Subs not used: Danny Boness (gk), Jordan Brown, Grady Diangana.

Manager: Terry Westley

Referee: Mr. J. Hunt

Bookings: Blackburn Rovers Under-21 – Devarn Green

West Ham United Under-21 – None

Attendance: 220

The Rovers first under-21 League match of the season at Ewood Park turned out to be a real cracker with the Rovers youngsters edging a seven goal thriller. The Rovers made several changes from the starting eleven which beat Barrow last week in the Lancashire Senior Cup. Simon Eastwood, Darragh Lenihan Modou Cham, Anton Forrester and Devarn Green were all drafted into the team as Damien Johnson and John Filan rotated the players available to them. The West Ham team included Doneil Henry, who had such a successful loan spell at Ewood last season and who was returning from injury.

The visitors were the first to threaten when Elliott Lee, the son of England international Rob Lee, broke through with some nimble footwork and forced Eastwood to make a good save at his near post.

However, after ten minutes Eastwood was beaten by a tremendous effort from Kyle Knoyle. Lee played the ball out to Knoyle on the right and, after having got past Cham, the full-back hit a thunderbolt of a shot from distance which flew past Eastwood into the net.

Ten minutes later and the Rovers were level after Forrester headed the ball on into the path of Green who raced past Henry into the area and then beat Tim Brown with a shot which went in off the post.

It was proving to be a hugely entertaining game with the visitors playing some very neat football but often being let down by a poor final ball into the area. Just before the half-hour mark Marcus Browne hit a long range shot which flew past Eastwood’s post. However, moments later West Ham took the lead. Martin Samuelson, the Norwegian youngster signed from Manchester City in the Summer and incorrectly listed as seven on the teamsheet, struck an effort from outside of the area which took a deflection and found the top right hand corner of the net.

In truth, West Ham deserved their lead at the interval for they had produced the better attacking football up to that point.

Henry, who was having his first outing after a recent injury, didn’t reappear after the break and was replaced by Josh Pask. West Ham began the second half as they had ended the first – on the attack. Browne broke down the right flnak before he pulled the ball back from the byline to Lee. The West Ham striker showed a distinct lack of composure and blasted his shot high over the bar from about twelve yards out.

The Rovers gradually started to get back in the game and Lenihan was unfortunate to see a powerful header saved by Brown following a corner from Connor Mahoney. Sacha Petshi, who had been very quiet in the first half, started to get forward more and showed excellent ball control before he cut in from the left and curled a decent effort just wide.

On fifty-five minutes the Rovers drew level with a wonderful goal from Forrester. A Cham free-kick was headed away for a corner which the Rovers winger took. Forrester got his head to the ball but his effort was blocked and came back to him. He showed a fantastic touch to control the ball and then hit a powerful shot on the turn which flew into the bottom left hand corner of the net from the edge of the box. It was a wonderful piece of opportunism from the young striker.

Another excellent run from Cham presented Forrester with another chance but this time his well struck shot was deflected wide for a corner. Mahoney’s corner was met by the head of Lenihan but his effort was well wide of the goal.

On the hour mark, Cham sent a free-kick over the wall and forced Brown to dive full length and catch the ball, a really outstanding piece of goalkeeping.

On sixty-four minutes it was the Hammers who took the lead when Josh Cullen curled a wonderful free-kick around the Rovers’ wall and into the top left-hand corner of the net.

The Rovers responded immediately with another excellent run by Cham into the area and when he got to the byline he pulled the ball back to Forrester but the former Everton youngster hit his shot over the bar. Lenihan then headed another Mahoney corner over the bar as the Rovers increased the pressure on the visiting defence.

On seventy-two minutes the Rovers replaced Petshi with Willem Tomlinson and seven minutes later the youngster earned the Rovers a free-kick some 25 yards from goal. Mahoney stepped up to take the kick and bent the ball around the wall and into the bottom corner of the net with Brown unable to get down quickly enough to save it.

Having pulled level, the Rovers went all out for a winner as West Ham visibly tired and wilted under the sustained pressure. It was Mahoney who had suddenly sprung into life and was causing West Ham untold problems on the right wing whilst Cham was doing the same on the left. Scott Wharton fed Mahoney and the winger fired in a shot from distance which just flew inches past the far post.

However, on eighty-three minutes the Rovers took the lead with Mahoney replicating virtually the exact goal that he scored at Barrow last week. After beating a defender in the area, he skipped along the byline before he rifled in an effort from the narrowest of angles into the top right hand corner of the net. It was a fantastic end to what had been a splendid game of football.

Several performances from the Rovers youngsters caught the eye. Connor Mahoney and Modou Cham proved to be a lively pair of wingers in the second half who caused West Ham no end of problems with their direct running and willingness to get into the opposing penalty area.

Darragh Lenihan and Scott Wharton defended well in and around the penalty area and Lenihan was always a threat at corners.

Anton Forrester and Devarn Green proved a hardworking combination up front who linked up well together throughout the game.

In midfield, David Carson was his usual tenacious self although wasn’t at his best by any stretch of the imagination. Sasha Petshi grew into the game and got better as it went on. He is still raw there are flashes that there is a talent within his sizable frame.

[chaddyrovers]

Sounds like an excellent game to watch. If I had know that the game was Ewood Park I would have attend

Pleased to see Mahoney and Forrester play well and score

[Claytons Left Boot]

A semblance of normality in the parallel universe of the Under 21s.

Winning an attacking game against Premier League counterparts and with former respected players Damien Johnson and John Filan in charge.

Nothing much wrong here. I wonder if Venky's know anything about it?

[AllRoverAsia]

Saw the game today on Rovers Player - it was well worth the monthly fee of RP to watch it.