Mark Phillips

West Ham’s under 18s secured deservedly gained a  1-0 win away to Leicester City and in so doing moved five points clear at the top of the Premier League South U18 table.

George Earthy clinched things with his tenth goal of the season in all competitions and was the difference in a highly competitive fixture against the Foxes, with the midfielder superbly controlling Asher Falase’s cross before volleying into the Leicester net.

The team is now amazingly unbeaten in League action since October a run that includes 17 matches, and was the team’s tenth clean-sheet in the competition this campaign.

U18s assistant coach Mark Phillips said: “I have to say it was a good advert for U18s football. I was impressed with Leicester and how they played. We just shaded it and created a few more chances, which allowed us to go on and get the win. 

“Leicester certainly had a couple of chances and I don’t think we could have complained too much if they’d taken a share of the points. I think we just did enough to win and it was a superb performance in a really good game.

“We’re so proud of the team. It was a nail bitter of a final few minutes after we got the opening goal but we’re taking a lot of satisfaction from winning this game. It was a tough place to come and the boys did superbly.”

ClaretandHugh says: With the under 18s top of their league and the under 23s in second place in Division 2 of the Premier League things could hardly be going better across the club. This latest win from the youngsters – having taken them further on their unbeaten six month run- os brilliant news. And it demonstrates that we are hopefully again becoming the talent factory for which we have become so famous down the years. These really are great times to be a Hammer