YOUNG HAMMERS HIT DOUBLE BLOW Devs test two more trialists A youthful West Ham side proved too strong for the Iron in the penultimate friendly of the pre-season, running out 2-0 winners on the night. Alan Devonshire looked at his options again, offering two trialists a start who went on to play the majority of the game. Iron did win a penalty late on, which was well saved by the West Ham goalkeeper, playing in front of a decent turnout again at Cressing Road. Dan Sparkes found himself through five minutes into the game when a wayward pass was picked up inside the West Ham half. Sparkes shot was easily collected by the West Ham keeper, but Braintree created another chance just moments later. Sam Habergham tore down the left hand side, blazing a ball across the face of goal which was taped just wide of the right post in a lively start for Iron. Elliott Lee was then caught offside twice by a Braintree back line that were quick off the mark, including a trialist looking to fill the right centre back position. A chance was soon dealt to the trialist up the other end, who side footed with his left over the bar from a corner just a few yards out. Dan Sparkes played in a free kick from the right twenty minutes in, but again the delivery could not be capitalised on before West Ham had their first real opportunity to put the visitors ahead. Being played in from the left, Kieran Sadler ran unchallenged at the Iron backline, drilling his shot across goal, but just wide of Hamanns left post. Sparkes soon had another chance when a backward header set up a volley for Dan, who fired over with 30minutes played. Elliott Lee looked as if he had stepped into the same shoting boots when he fired his effort over down the other end following some nice build up play from the visiting side. Hamann pulled off a great save when Josh Cullen blasted a shot hard and low, but with Braintree failing to clear their lines, the deadlock was to be broken. The rebounded ball found its way to Kieran Sadlier, who fed into the path of Elliott Lee. Lee side footed unchallenged into the back of the net three minutes before the referees half time whistle. With mass changes in the visiting team, a slow start to the second half meant that it was almost 15 minutes before a chance was created. Mulley put one over for the home side, but it was again Elliott Lee that stung Iron, slotting home a close ranger to double the away advantage. The West Ham trialist who was introduced in the second half took a shot after failing to win a free kick with a dramatic fall, firing wide from a way out. Kieran Sadler repeated the same effort seconds later, followed by an attempt with his other foot which flew over and into the car park as the Hammers searched for a third. A quick ball into Sam Habergham from a free kick inside the West Ham half allowed the left back to send in a searching ball. However, that was all it was to do when failing to find an orange shirt, it skipped to safety. Minutes later, James Mulley won a penalty when he was brought down going away from goal inside the visitors penalty area. Kenny Davis stepped up, but the West Ham goalkeeper dived down well to his right to prevent the skipper from pulling one back before the full time whistle. Iron travel to Peterborough Northern Star in the final friendly of their pre-season campaign with their next home game against Dover Athletic on Tuesday 12th August. Braintree Town: Hamann, Peters, Habergham, Paine, Massey, Trialist, Davis, Trialist, Sparkes, Brundle, Mulley. Subs: Petney, Case, Cutajar, Maybanks, Moore, Green, Gomis. West Ham United: Brown, Westley, Page, Cullen, Burke, Pusk, Turgott, Bywater, Lee, Lletget, Sadlier. West Ham United 2nd half: St Louis-Hamilton, Westley, Onariase, Makasi, Akinola, Knoyle, Diangana, Lletget, Trialist, Lee, Sadlier. Subs: Maiga. Match report by Chris Pargin.
Posted on: Thu, 31 Jul 2014 06:35:50 +0000
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