West Ham United’s U21’s fell just short in the National League Cup final, losing on penalties to Boreham Wood. The young Hammers had a 2-0 lead at half-time but could not hold on as the opposition fired back, taking them all the way to penalties where they prevailed in the lottery.
The Irons had Josh Landers and Lewis Orford to thank for their two-goal lead but could not hang on despite creating chances in the second-half. Abdul Abdulmalik netted for the opposition before Aaron Henry equalized in the dying moments to send the tie to spot kicks.
West Ham‘s U21 netted six perfect penalties but with the host’s scoring seven, it was not enough and Boreham Wood lifted the National League Cup by the finest of margins.
First-half
Both sides landed punches from the off, with the magnitude of the game being at the forefront of bothe team’s minds.
Orford missed an early chanced as Preston Fearon intercepted the Boreham Wood goalkeeper, Ted Curd, but could not guide the ball home.
A minute later, Fearon was on the attack again, feeding Regan Clayton down the left-hand side but could not find a way past Curd.
Rayan Oyebade stopped Tom White from netting at the other end as he game carried on its end-to-end start.
The opener finally arrived on the 26 minute mark as Boreham Wood were caught in possession. Fearon, who stole the ball, fed Landers, who could not beat Curd but the rebound that fell to Orford did, at the second time of asking to give West Ham the lead.
Landers would double the young Hammers lead minutes later. A long ball over the top fell to the striker putting him one-on-one with the goalkeeper and this time he made no mistake.
Second-half
The young West Ham side began the second as they finished the first, on top. Just a few minutes in, Orford could not guide his volley into the net with Curd pushing it over the crossbar.
Disaster struck moments later as Boreham Wood grabbed a goal back. Abdulmallik curled his effort perfectly into the West Ham net making it 2-1.
The pressure kept coming from the hosts. Jethro Medine on hand to stop Matt Rush’s effort before Abdulmalik saw his rebound saved.
In the final minutes Leon Ayinde was denied for Boreham Wood but seconds later they had their equaliser as a long ranged effort slipped past the West Ham goalkeeper to level things up at the death.
The young Hammers had held on strong for 45 minutes but were forced into penalties to end the game. Josh Ajala, Orford, Airidas Golambeckis, Josh Briggs, Dan Cummings and Ryan Battrum all scored but Curd saved the final penalty to give Boreham Wood the trophy.
A cruel end for the young West Ham side that went so far in this competition.
Teams
Boreham Wood: Curd, Ilesanmi (Newton 84), Bush, O’Connell, Brunt, Abdulmalik, Reynolds (Coxe HT), White (Sousa 90), Richardson (Ayinde HT), Booty (Henry 75), Rush
Subs not used: Clayde, Payne
Goals: Abdulmalik 49, Henry 90+3
Booked: Brunt, Ayinde
Penalty takers: Brunt (scored), Rush (scored), Newton (scored), Coxe (scored), Sousa (scored), Bush (scored), O’Connell (scored)
West Ham United U21s: Herrick, Battrum, Oyebade, Akpata (Medine HT), Golambeckis, Briggs, Fearon (Caliste 83), Orford, Landers (Cummings 88), Ajala, Clayton
Subs not used: Hooper (GK), Leacock, Hargan, Dike
Goals: Orford 26, Landers 45
Penalty takers: Ajala (scored), Orford (scored), Golambeckis (scored), Briggs (scored), Cummings (scored), Battrum (scored), Caliste (saved)
Referee: Elliott Swallow
Attendance: 2,803 (1,250 away fans)
