With Callum Marshall, George Earthy and Mohamadou Kante on the scoresheet, West Ham United made very light work of Truro City. Glen Lincoln’s side cruised to a 3-0 National League Cup victory on Tuesday night.
In truth, you could have seen this coming.
As the team news filtered through from Cornwall, it was difficult not to feel some sympathy for West Ham United’s fifth-tier opponents.
Truro City would not only be facing one of the most prosperous academy teams in English football, but also a handful of Hammers who have proven themselves more-than capable two or, in the case of George Earthy, three steps higher up the footballing ladder.
Earthy assisted Callum Marshall’s effort, having already stormed the length of the pitch to open the scoring all on his lonesome.
Marshall made his Premier League debut only two months earlier, and scored ten times on loan at Huddersfield in League One last season. Earthy was Bristol City’s Young Player of the Year.
Unsurprisingly, then, Marshall and Earthy proved far too good for a Truro City side nailed to the bottom of the fifth-tier table. That is not to say, however, that the hosts did not have their moments. It was not as one-sided an affair as the eventual 0-3 scoreline would suggest.
On a night when Marshall, Earthy and the formidable Mohamadou Kante again resembled bloodthirsty sharks hunting in rather shallow waters, goalkeeper Krisztian Hegyi reminded the Hammers that Finlay Herrick is not the only up-and-coming shot-stopper going from strength to strength behind the scenes.
Krisztian Hegyi was in ‘stunning’ form as West Ham United cruised past Truro City
Called up for the England Under-21s for the first time this month, Finlay Herrick is training with West Ham’s first-team these days.
Not only is he a fine shot-stopper and something of a penalty specialist, Herrick is ‘unbelievable’ on the ball as well. And Linus Kandolin is well placed to pass judgement, as a former Hammers goalkeeping coach.
If Mads Hermansen does depart as early as January – Hammers News understands that West Ham may ‘cash in’ on the ex-Leicester glovesman should the opportunity arrive – Herrick may fancy his chances of moving up the pecking order and acting as Alphonse Areola’s new back-up.
Hegyi, though, seems determined to prove that Herrick is not the only fresh-faced goalkeeper capable of forcing his way into the senior squad.
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‘Inspired’, ‘excellent’, ‘stunning’, ‘superb’.
Four different but equally glowing descriptions of Hegyi’s performance during West Ham’s first ever competitive trip to Cornwall, provided by the official Truro website in their post-match report.
When even the opposition fans are praising your efforts, meanwhile, that’s when you know you’ve had quite the day.
“The visitors were indebted to inspired goalkeeper Krisztian Hegyi [in the second-half], who kept his sheet clean with a string of excellent saves that drew applause from both sets of supporters,” the report read.
“[Will] Dean collected a [Tom] Harrison flick-on before bringing a stunning reaction save out of the Hungarian custodian
“The Hegyi show continued as [Tyler] Love-Holmes rose highest to meet Dean’s cross, forcing a superb save which was bettered moments later as the 23-year-old denied City a route back into the tie with a point-blank stop.”
Hungarian Hegyi could leave West Ham with a difficult decision
Krisztian Hegyi has had a very impressive November. The Budapest-born Hungary Under-21 international is making up for lost time after an injury which brought a premature end to a loan spell at Debrecen last season.
Hegyi’s alleged play-acting infuriated Ian Holloway during a 3-2 EFL Trophy win at Swindon Town, but no more so than a fabulous reflex stop at the death.
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He was in inspired form again during a 1-1 Premier League 2 draw with Wolves, before keeping a clean sheet as Lincoln’s young Hammers put three past Liverpool without reply.
Hegyi will turn 24 next year. The former Stevenage, Den Bosch and Motherwell loanee is, therefore, set to outgrow reserve team football in the coming months.
And if a first-team role at West Ham proves to be beyond him with Herrick so highly regarded at Rush Green, Hegyi could be quite an inspired addition from any side looking to bring in a young shot-stopper boasting reflexes of the feline variety.
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