Lewis Orford will be pretty much the first name on Greg Lincoln’s team sheet when West Ham United face Boreham Wood in the National League Cup final tonight at Meadow Park.
A season which started with a loan spell at Stevenage could end in silverware at Under-21 level. While some may see this as a step backwards for the West Ham United starlet – Orford was recalled after only 16 minutes of League One football – he is putting that ill-fated stint in Hertfordshire behind him with silverware on the line.
The Hammers and Boreham Wood kick-off tonight at 7pm.
West Ham’s U21s can win a trophy on Tuesday! 🏆 🍾
What would silverware mean for our academy?
Lincoln has a bonafide knockout specialist set to lead the line – Josh Ajala will claim the Golden Boot if he replicates 2025’s brace against Reading in the Premier League Cup final – while Lewis Orford is ready to lead by example as one of the senior members of West Ham United’s Under-21 roster.
Lewis Orford in top form before West Ham United v Boreham Wood
Since returning to his parent club in November, Orford has played 14 matches under former Arsenal and England coach Lincoln.
In that time, he has provided five goals and five assists from his central midfield role. Orford even produced a hat-trick of assists in a 5-1 thrashing of Aldershot in the group stage of a competition West Ham could win tonight in Boreham Wood.
He is, in short, too good for the level.
“We’re all buzzing for it and it’s always good to be in a final,” Orford tells the club’s official website. “We’re looking forward to it. Everyone’s talking about it. Everyone’s buzzing to be in the final. Obviously, a National League Cup final is quite a big one. We’re all ready for it.
“It’s always good to have the backing of the fans there. I think at Truro [a 3-0 group stage victory], it’s a six-hour drive and we had a lot of fans come down for that, which was obviously good. Then we got the win again in the semi-final. We had a lot of fans there as well.
“It’s obviously a boost for us on the pitch and when we scored that last-minute winner [through Ajala vs Tamworth]. It was good to celebrate with them. This competition brings the fans with us and it’s always a big boost for us on the pitch.
“I’m looking forward to the final a lot. It’s going to be packed out with West Ham fans. I feel like it’s going to be a good night for us, no matter the scoreline, but hopefully we can get the win and get the fans the win in the final.”
Fortunately, Fabrizio Romano was very wrong…
What should the next steps for Josh Ajala be at West Ham?
Orford hopes Youth Cup experience proves key tonight
At 20, Orford is one of the older members of West Ham’s next generation. He is expected to go out on loan again next season, albeit hopefully with far greater success.
“I feel like [experience] will help us a lot,” Orford adds, also singing out full-back duo Regan Clayton and Ryan Battrum; two other members of the West Ham team who thrashed Arsenal in the 2023 Youth Cup final.
“That occasion would definitely help us in the game on Tuesday as we know what it feels like. We know we’re going to have the backing of the fans that turn up for us and they’re going to be supporting us all night. So hopefully it can help us get the win.
“We just need to lead the team out on the pitch. Someone’s got the captain’s armband on, but realistically the whole team are trying to be leaders and get us over the line.”
Teenage defender Airidas Golambeckis usually captains West Ham’s Under-21s, but this is not a squad lacking in leaders.
“The games are always challenging,” Orford continues, the National League Cup pitting West Ham’s kids against senior opposition from the fifth-tier. “It’s a totally different opponent to what you’re used to playing in the PL2.
“The game is so different. It’s often long balls and trying to deal with the seconds. It’s a totally different game.
“The [Stevenage] loan definitely helped me with that. Again, League One is totally different to the PL2 or the Premier League. So I feel like it’s just the different factors of the game that you’ve got to get better at and it’s going to help everyone in the Under-21s that goes out on loan or makes a progression into the first team here.”
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