Hammers crash out of Youth Cup

03 February 2010

OVER AND OUT: Cristian Montano goes flying as team-mate George Mincur and Newcastle's Conor Newton collide during Wednesday night's FA Youth Cup clash at Upton Park. Picture by Steve Bacon.

West Ham 0 Newcastle United 3

By DAVE EVANS AT UPTON PARK

WEST HAM crashed out of the FA Youth Cup against a clinical Newcastle side at Upton Park on Wednesday night.

The powerful Tynesiders had too much strength for a West Ham side that showed plenty of flair, but were too often muscled off the ball.

A place in the quarter-finals was up for grabs and the Hammers seemed capable of taking it as they started the brighter and caused problems for the Newcastle defence.

Cristian Montano almost put through strike partner Robert Hall as early as the third minute, and Hall then jinked into the box and sent a looping shot over the bar.

Montano saw his shot blocked as West Ham continued to press, but the home side were rocked on their heels on 15 minutes as Newcastle grabbed the lead.

From their first corner, Ryan McGorrigan's delivery saw Filip Modelski block on the near post, but when the ball came out, Jeffrey Henderson thumped it into the net, despite the efforts of a defender on the line.

The goal seemed to knock West Ham back on their heels and the visitors could easily have added to their tally before the break.

Greg McDermott clipped the crossbar and Bradden Inman headed inches wide, before George Moncur went close for West Ham just before the interval with a rasping drive from 20 yards which flew just wide.

West Ham needed to start well after the break, but it was Newcastle who stepped up a gear to quickly put the game out of the Hammers reach.

On 49 minutes, Philip Airey was put clean through and finished with precision and just three minutes later, Inman thumped home a superb 20-yarder that keeper Loveday could only wave at, as it flew into the corner of the net.

Loveday saved superbly from Airey four minutes later as West Ham looked to avoid a rout, and indeed they carved out a good chance of their own when Ahmed Abdulla received a pass in the area, only for his shot to be well blocked by keeper Jak Alnwick, younger brother of Ben, who is plying his trade at Spurs.

Moncur rattled the crossbar with a stunning free kick from 25 yards, and then with seven minutes left West Ham should have earned themselves a consolation.

Eoin Wearen's shot was handled in the area and the Irishman stepped up, only to hit his penalty straight at Alnwick's legs.

There was never going to be a way back for Tony Carr's team from there and in the end they bowed out of the competition with a whimper.

West Ham: Loveday, Modelski, Brown, Sanchez, Craig, Moncur, Vose (Turgott 71), Wearen, Montano (Purdy 88), Hall, Abdulla.

Unused subs: Driver, Cowler, Lampe, Fanimo, Subuola.