West Ham’s 5-0 win at Stevenage delivered plenty of encouragement as Nuno Espírito Santo continued preparing his squad for the Championship season. Senior players looked sharp, academy prospects seized their opportunities and the travelling support created an impressive atmosphere at Broadhall Way.
James Ward-Prowse and Taty Castellanos established a comfortable first-half lead before Lewis Orford, Josh Ajala and Jett Murphy completed the scoring after the break.
ReadWestHam’s match report covered the five-goal victory, but several individual performances also gave Nuno useful information before stronger pre-season opposition arrives.
1. Senior players set the standard
West Ham’s experienced players approached the friendly with the required intensity. Jarrod Bowen was lively on the right and created the second goal with a precise pass for Castellanos.
The striker finished calmly inside the far post. With Everton showing interest in him, the performance offered another reminder of why West Ham would prefer to keep him for the promotion campaign.
Ward-Prowse also delivered an influential display. He began the move for the opening goal inside his own half before following the attack and converting after his first effort was saved.
Maximilian Kilman looked comfortable alongside 18-year-old Airidas Golambeckis. The defender won the challenge which started the move for Castellanos’ goal and helped his younger partner through the game.
Mads Hermansen had a quieter first half but remained composed in possession. Alphonse Areola then produced several strong saves after replacing him, including an excellent stop from Jamie Reid’s header.
The established players did not treat the fixture as a routine fitness exercise. Their concentration allowed the younger members of the side to settle and express themselves.
2. Golambeckis, Kanté and Lamadrid caught the eye
Golambeckis produced one of the most encouraging performances of the evening. The academy defender looked confident on either foot and handled the physical demands of facing senior opposition.
He was the only player retained after Nuno changed ten members of his team at half-time. That decision gave Golambeckis 90 valuable minutes and suggested the coaching staff wanted a longer assessment.
The defender later spoke about how much representing West Ham means to him. His development from the West Ham United Foundation to the first-team environment provides another strong academy story.
Mohamadou Kanté also continued his positive pre-season. The French midfielder was aggressive in challenges, covered ground quickly and repeatedly looked to move possession forward.
Keiber Lamadrid offered a different quality alongside him. His low centre of gravity helped him escape pressure, while his pass created the space which led to Ward-Prowse’s opener.
Seven young West Ham players entered pre-season with a chance to impress Nuno. Kanté and several of his academy teammates are now making those selection decisions more difficult.
3. The Academy of Football delivered again
Nuno’s second-half side contained eight academy graduates, with several playing against experienced League One opponents.
Stevenage briefly increased the pressure after the interval. Areola made saves, while Ezra Mayers and Golambeckis produced important blocks to preserve the clean sheet.
West Ham eventually regained control through their young players. Orford scored the outstanding goal of the second half, curling a first-time effort into the far corner from the edge of the penalty area.
Kaelan Casey’s volley then deflected into the net off Ajala. Murphy completed the victory in the final minute after being introduced for his first senior appearance.
Callum Marshall, Ryan Battrum, Preston Fearon and Ollie Scarles also received useful minutes. Not every academy player will remain with the first-team squad, but the Stevenage performance proved Nuno has genuine internal options.
The Championship schedule will demand depth. Developing two or three reliable squad players from within would reduce recruitment costs and preserve the club’s identity during a major rebuild.
4. Travelling supporters created a proper atmosphere
West Ham’s relegation has done little to reduce the commitment of the club’s travelling support.
The away allocation sold out for a Wednesday-night pre-season friendly, with supporters positioned behind one of the goals. They sang throughout the game and responded warmly to every academy player introduced.
The loudest reactions understandably followed the goals from Orford, Ajala and Murphy. Supporters have always valued players produced by the Academy of Football, particularly when they show the courage to influence senior matches.
Their backing helped turn a routine pre-season fixture into a memorable evening for several teenagers. It also provided another positive sign ahead of a season in which the connection between the team and its supporters will be crucial.
West Ham face far greater challenges once the Championship begins. However, the blend of senior quality, emerging academy talent and committed support made the win at Stevenage an encouraging step in the right direction.
