Terry Westley’s U23 Hammers suffered their first Premier League Two defeat of the season on Monday night, as a remarkably strong Foxes side proved overwhelming at The King Power Stadium.
Having started the season strongly with a home draw against Champions Everton and victories over Tottenham Hotspur and Swansea City, with a Checkatrade Trophy win at the Country Ground sandwiched in between.
The youngsters have now slumped to consecutive defeats, inflicted by that very same Spurs side and then The Foxes two days ago, on the same night the First-Team ran out 2-0 victors against Huddersfield Town at The London Stadium.
The likes of returning Marcus Browne, new signing Sead Haksabanovic, Nathan Holland, Antonio Martinez, Rihards Matrevics, Josh Pask and Domingos Quina all came into the starting Xl from the 7-2 thrashing at The Lamex Stadium.
But, despite the array of young talent that was on show in our side, the Foxes tide from the start would turn a few heads with the level of First-Team quality that was being displayed.
£25-million-man Kilechi Iheanacho from Manchester City was at the disposal of Steve Beaglehole, as was the Premier League Title winning duo of Robert Huth and Yohan Benalouane.
However, perhaps most impressive of all was newcomer and three-time Europa League winner Vicente Iborra, with backup keeper Eldin Jakupovic also in the line-up.
The hosts inevitably flexed their Muscles straight from the off at The KP, as Iheanacho was played in with the Latvian U19 international Matrevics saving well down to his left.
However, we were holding our own at that stage, as Nathan Holland cut in to fire a threatening effort wide. But, it wouldn’t be long before The Foxes broke the deadlock.
A stunning run from Iheanacho opened up space inside our defensive area for George Thomas, who laid the ball back into the path of the Nigerian international to beat Matrevics inside his near post.
But, there was nothing that the shot-stopper could have done about City’s second goal of the evening, as Iborra rose magnificently to head a powerful effort home from a Connor Wood corner.
Just seconds later, it would be three for the hosts as the first provider, Thomas, turned goal-scorer to convert a wonderful cross from Josh Felix-Eppiah, after some brilliant Hamza Choudhury work.
Beaglehole’s Boys were now going in search of a fourth as a sense of here we go again began to kick in for the young Hammers, but Noah Sylvestre’s last ditch block denied Iheanacho a second.
However, we would soon be creating more chances of our own with the trademark pace and awareness of Toni Martinez leading to our constellation goal.
The Spaniard hunted down Benalouane to force the former Swiss International into giving the ball away and after Martinez hit the post, he eventually beat Jakupovic from a Jahmal Hector-Ingram lay off.
Despite that 76th minute goal, the score-reres wouldn’t be troubled again, for The Foxes to record a second victory of the season and move level on points with our starlets in fifth place.
For Westley’s men, form is starting to disappear as the promotion high wears off, but with the likes of Martinez, Holland, and Browne all fit and firing, victory over Liverpool in Dagenham on Monday is essential.
Young Hammer of the Match: Antonio Martinez
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