Mark Robson, West Ham United’s Under-21 coach, thinks this is a ‘really exciting’ time to be a young player wearing claret and blue.
Josh Landers and Jephthah Medine certainly appear fired up by their manager’s enthusiasm.
West Ham United defeated Ebbsfleet 2-1 at the Morrow Stadium on Tuesday night, following up Saturday’s victory over Canvey Island by the same scoreline. The result was not the only thing the two pre-season victories had in common.
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Landers enjoyed a prolific first year-and-a-half with the Hammers, following his arrival from Hibernian in January 2025. There are no suggestions that the Scot is resting on his laurels either; having opened the scoring in Canvey Island, he raced into the penalty area, held off his marker, and dinked a gorgeous second goal in two games past Ebbsfleet.
A lead that would be doubled just past the half-hour mark by Medine.
Josh Landers and Jephthah Medine fire West Ham United to victory
Medine brilliantly converted a Junior Robinson cross with a first-time volley at the back post on Saturday. He would repeat the trick here, albeit with Daniel Cummings taking on the role of provider.
Last season, Medine scored five goals and assisted four more in 22 Premier League U18 matches. Still only 17, and one of the younger members of the club’s U21 set-up this summer, Medine looks well placed to climb onto the next rung of the ladder.
Landers, meanwhile, has 18 goals in 45 league games at youth level this side of the border. Landers made an ‘unbelievable’ impression on loan at Boreham Wood in the second half of last season, and one suspects a senior debut in West Ham colours will now be in his sights.
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“I’m really pleased,” Robson said after his young Hammers held onto a lead halved by Ebbsfleet just before the interval. “I thought in the first-half, we were really good. We played some really good football and scored two good goals.
“The first one [from Landers] was really well worked and the second was a really good bit of pressing to cause them problems and get in behind them.
“The staff and I are really pleased with the boys. It was a bit more difficult in the second half. They put more pressure on us and we struggled a little bit to get some rhythm. We were resolute and dug in defensively.”
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With Josh Ajala, Airidas Golambeckis, Ryan Battrum and more expected to feature for the seniors against Stevenage on Wednesday night, Robson again took the chance to have a closer look at some of the club’s younger prospects.
West Ham signed Jett Murphy from Chelmsford back in June. He featured for 45 minutes in Ebbsfleet.
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“One of the things we’ve said to the players is about work ethic,” Robson adds. “Talent alone isn’t enough. We’ve got talent, but we need to make sure that we’re a team. When you’re in or out of possession, you’ve got to work together.
“I’ve got to say, I thought they were really good today. I was barking at them from the side, because it’s pre-season and we’re trying to get fit, so it was really pleasing how it turned out in the end. They all worked really, really hard.”
“I took absolutely loads from today’s game. As I said, I thought the boys were really good.
“We’re going to face a League Two side on Friday [Colchester United]. That’s going to be really challenging for us. We just want to make sure that we apply ourselves in the same way as we have in the last two games. We’re looking forward to it.”
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