Our under-18s stretched their unbeaten run to 10 games with a convincing 5-1 win at West Ham.
Flo Balogun and Harry Clarke each grabbed a brace for Kwame Ampadu’s side, while Armstrong Okoflex rounded off the scoring late on.
Despite the Hammers being rooted to the bottom of the league table, it was they who opened the scoring, when Bernardo Rosa toe-poked the ball in from the edge of the penalty area.
Keen to get back into the match quickly, we capitalised on an error at the back to allow Balogun a shot on goal, which bounced in despite the best efforts of West Ham’s goalkeeper, Daniel Jinadu.
Balogun soon could have had his second, as he turned with the ball and curled an effort at goal from distance, forcing Jinadu into a spectacular save.
Now turning the screw and looking like the much better side, we did find our second goal through Clarke, who ghosted in to side-foot us in front.
With the half-time break nearing, we continued to push and managed to find a third in the dying seconds with Balogun bundling home, having met a loose ball in the box.
Although the hosts had their moments it was us who struck next, with Clarke once more getting on the scoresheet by rising up to head in at a corner.
With eight minutes remaining, Okoflex and Balogun combined to set up the former, who poked in to round off what was a thoroughly impressive performance.
WHAT IT MEANS
Victory puts us six points off league leaders Chelsea, who have lost just once this season.
WHAT’S NEXT
Ampadu’s side travel to Middlesbrough in the FA Youth Cup, hoping to reach the quarter-final stage.
We beat Liverpool 3-2 at Anfield in our previous cup fixture, as Tyreece John-Jules scored a late winner in extra-time.
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