Swansea City Under-18s West Ham
22nd October
A stoppage time goal from West Ham cancelled out a Liam Cullen double as Swans Under-18s fell to a 3-2 defeat in Premier League South at Little Heath on Saturday.
The Hammers took the lead inside ten minutes as Rosaire Mbule Longelo headed home from a cross from Joe Powell on the right.
But Swansea were back on level terms just minutes later as midfielder Marco Dulca and Liam Cullen's pressure on Rihards Matrevics in the West Ham goal saw the keeper cannon his clearance off Cullen's leg and into the net for the equaliser.
Cullen and Liam Edwards came close to giving the young Swans the lead while Alex Lang, in the Swans net, kept the scores level with three superb saves from West Ham's attack.
But the Hammers took the lead on the stroke of half time as another pinpoint cross from Powell found Jake Eggleton in the box to head past Lang.
Swansea were level just three minutes into the restart as Edwards through ball found Cullen to fire home inside the area for his ninth of the season.
The Swans could have taken the lead on the hour mark as Edwards beat his man into the box before his shot was well saved by Matrevics, minutes later Cullen's effort tested the Hammers' keeper only for the Latvian to be equal to the effort.
Substitute Matt Roberts cross tested the West Ham back line again ten minutes from time as both sides played out a battling performance in the second half.
But it was the home side who would deny the Swans a valuable point as a free-kick found Korrey Henry free inside the box to fire home from close range seconds before the full time whistle.
WEST HAM U18: Rihards Matrevics, Jake Eggleton, Reece Hannam, Conor Coventry, Tunji Akinola (Capt), Ben Wells, Ben Johnson, Rosaire Mbule Longelo, Joe Powell, Alfie Lewis, Korrey Henry.
SUBS NOT USED: Barrett, Forde, Alese, Hamilton, Constantinou.
SWANS U18s: Alex Lang, Mael Davies, Matt Blake, Tom Price, Ben Cabango, Brandon Cooper, Jack Fox (Causso Darame, 54), Jordan Jones, Liam Cullen (Capt), Marco Dulca (Cameron Berry, 66), Liam Edwards (Matt Roberts, 75).
SUBS NOT USED: Rhydian Williams, Ross Treacy.
