Dagenham& Redbridge 2 Hammers 2
Divin Mubama again showed what he is all about when grabbing his third goal of pre-season against Dagenham & Redbridge but the Hammers were held to a 2-2 draw by their near neighbours.
And Maxwel Cornet grabbed his first for the club as David Moyes fielded a side with a blend of experience and youth. The Hammers twice took the lead by the Daggers refused to bow and gaiied their draw via am Inih Effiong’s first-half strike and Sydney Ibie’s late penalty.
Vladimír Coufal, Nayef Aguerd, Tomáš Souček and Thilo Kehrer all got a start but once again it was Mubama who caught the eye as he continues his highly impressive summer when arriving as a second half substitute. There was also the chance for several others from the the club’s Academy to gain valuable experience.
There were only ten minutes on the clock when Saïd Benrahma drove towards the Dagenham penalty area from the left flank with a penetrating run and set the ball back for Cornet to sweep home left footed.
Three minutes later the Daggers came close to a leveller when Benrahma, teed up Frank Vincent, who whistled an effort over the top. Benny was at the heart of the early action and, midway through the first half, he played a low corner but Lewis Orfordshot inches away from the far post.
Dagenham dragged themselves back into the contest as the first half went on with striker Effiong providing a lively outlet up front. After curling a sighter just past the post on 27 minutes, the big No9 made the most of his next opportunity, flashing a fierce shot beyond Alphonse Areola after advancing to the edge of the Hammers box.
Dagenham enjoyed the better of the remainder of the first half, as Sam Ling’s snap shot from the edge of the box forced a smart stop from Areola, before their trialist hit the top of the crossbar with a free-kick from 20 yards in the final action before the break.
The Hammers began to make their changes at the break and one of the new introductions, Mubama, continued his fine start to pre-season by re-establishing a lead for the visitors seven minutes after the restart.
Cornet played a major role in the goal, pressuring left-back Elliot Johnson before squaring unselfishly for Mubama to tap home.
Shortly afterwards Benrahma rattled the underside of the Dagenham crossbar with a free-kick from 20 yards as the Hammers searched for another, while a raft of Academy prospects were handed their chance from the bench as the clock ticked past the hour.
Areola was unthreatened for the majority of the second half in the Hammers goal, but a foul by Luizão on Aaron Blair ten minutes from time gave the hosts the chance from the spot to level for a second time.
Ibie made no mistake, rolling his penalty to the right as Areola dived the other way to ensure the spoils would be shared.
Dagenham & Redbridge: Justham ©, Hare, Longe-King, Eastman (Phipps 63), Johnson, Ling (Trialist C 68), Hessenthaler (Trialist B 63), Rees (Blair 75), Vincent, Trialist A (Weston 75), Effiong (Ibie 63)
Goals: Effiong 29, Ibie pen 80
West Ham United: Areola, Coufal (Casey 46), Aguerd (Luizão 63), Kehrer (Laing 56), Scarles (Clayton 46), Swyer (Earthy 71), Souček © (Forson 63), Orford (Potts 46), Benrahma (Kodua 63), Cornet (Chesters 63), Marshall (Mubama 46)
Subs: Anang (GK)
Goals: Cornet 10, Mubama 52
Referee: Morgan Conn