Teams: FC Astra: Lung, Alves, Seto, Enaach, Budescu, Moaris,Bolderin, Gamon, Teixeiera,Quieros, De Amorin
WEST HAM; Randolph, Jenkinson, Nolan, Maiga, Poyet, Henry, Lanzini, Lee, Page, Cullen, Knoyle
As expected the manager has opted for a virtual reserve team and with the temperatures at 37 Centigrade this is a test and a half for our boys.
1/Astra corner but Randolph collects with ease
HAMMERS GOAL 3. Well flighted LanzinI free kick deflected for corner – half ceared but LanzinI drivs in off post – Fantastic start
Hammers look really up for this as the kids strut their stuff in front of Slav who is watching form the stands following his Boleyn sending off
10: Bolderin tries his luck from distance but deflected for a corner and cleared
14 Astra getting onto the front foot and a long distance free kick fools Randolph but rebound off the woodwork. Shocking error of judgement.
17. Poyet leaves his foot in on a challenge with Alves and is lucky to escape a yellow
20: No real cutting edge from the Irons but the youngsters are playing it around well and build well down the right before Knoyle overhits his cross
26: Astra corner on the right but the fierce in swinging kick is somehow cleared away
28: Henry concedes free kick withtackle flom behind 25 yards out well cleared
31: ASTRA GOAL: Some poor defending allows Budescu to line up a 20 yard shot – well struck and Randolph has no chance
35: ASTRA GOAL Budescu strikes again from inside the area – he’s been left alone to drive home from a well cut back ball and the Irons are behind on the night.
39: Great Lanzini ball in and Nolan header is wide
HALF TIME : Astra 2 Irons 1
Summary: It was never going to be easy whichever team the manager had put out but the young Irons on display have never been outplayed or overawed. Budescu’s double within a couple of minutes looked a killer but in fairness to the Hammers they kept going and although they created few chances played plenty of football. The big plus is Manuel Lanzini who of course grabbed the opening goal and looked dangerous and tricky whenever he was on the ball.
Nothing really changed with Astra’s second goal as the Irons were always going to need another anyway to cancel out the two away goal advantage the Romanians gained in the first leg.
Second half is underway
48: Low free kick delivered from Astra’s lift, Bolderin arrives but can only balloon over
50. Poyet’s crunching half way line tackle sets the Hammers moving forward but Maiga’s volley flies wide although flag up for offside
Hammers moving forward well and a quick passing movement as they advance on goal again draws the offside flag against Maiga
Michael Owen pulling no punches in his assessment of Modibo Maiga’s input describing him as “pretty poor” and having been outrun by Elliot Lee on the BT Sports commentary.
64: Some fine possession football from the Hammers as they up the tempo but at the end of an intricate passing move Knoyle totally over hits his cross and the danger passes.
72: Lanzini corner but headed wide
77: Curling left foot cross cum shot heads for top corner but Randoph does well to turn it away one handed
78 Lanzini gets on the end of decent move and fires in a shot which Lung goes low to save
LEE OFF – JORDAN BROWN ON
81: Fine Randolp save thwarts Alves snapshot from around 18 yards
84. Cullen hacked down but Lanzini’s left sided free kick cleared
88: Quick break and ball into box where Maiga controls well before knocking over
90: Romanians brak and ball flies across goal where it’s crashed against upright by Alibret
It’s over and we’re out
FULL TIME FC Astra 2 Irons 1
Summary: No question about it we were the better team on the night as we were at the Boleyn. The kids did themselves huge credit and there’s no question every single one of them will have grown up big time. They gave it the lot but just didn’t create enough. Page and Cullen did really well but Lanzini was the man of the match for the Irons. Many will blame the manager for his team choice and that’s a perfectly justifiable point of view but lets not be too discouraged, these lads of ours are a very good bunch of players