An excellent strike from Gideon Kodua secured all three points for West Ham U21 against Newport County on a cold, wet Tuesday night at Rodney Parade.
Graham Coughlan made three changes from Saturday’s team ahead of our EFL Trophy clash with West Ham U21. Kiban Rai, Nathan Wood, and James Waite were all handed starts, replacing Aaron Wildig, Will Evans, and Declan Drysdale.
Nathan Wood almost immediately repaid the gaffer’s confidence, rattling the post inside three minutes after Payne played a dangerous ball across the box.
We continued to apply early pressure, with Omar Bogle dispossessing Levi Laing on the edge of the area before having his effort blocked by the outstretched leg of Kaelan Caisey.
The next chance also fell to Bogle. The ball was headed down into the box, with the striker taking a touch before firing just over. Bryn Morris followed this up with an ambitious effort in the 17th minute, teeing the ball up and hitting a half-volley over the bar.
The visitors fired their first warning sign of the evening in the 21st minute. George Earthy fired a volley into the side-netting in the 21st minute. The Hammers continued to up the tempo and created the best chance of the half, forcing a fine save out of Nick Towsend, with Earthy unable to follow up.
The momentum swung back in our favour as half-time approached, with Lewis Payne being a consistent threat down the right. A dangerous ball from the wing-back was hit narrowly by Rai just before the half-time whistle, with the two teams returning to the changing rooms level at the break.
Half-time
After a slow opening five minutes, the first chance of the half fell to Lewis Payne. Kiban Rai found himself in space down the left, playing a cross to Payne at the back post, with the defender heading it just over.
Payne was at the centre of the action once again in the 57th minute. A fantastic ball from Bryn Morris saw Payne run through, only to be denied an almost certain goal-scoring opportunity by a brilliant challenge from Luizao.
A clever run from George Earthy nearly handed the visitors the lead in the 61st minute; the striker danced his way through the backline before Nick Townsend eventually blocked his effort.
Less than sixty seconds later, though, the visitors found the net. The ball was headed down by Lewis Orford to Gideon Kodua on the edge of the box, with the striker curling an effort into the top corner past Townsend.
Kiban Rai had a great effort to pull us level in the 66th minute when a stray shot from Nathan Wood found him at the back post. Unfortunately, he put the ball straight into the hands of West Ham’s Jacob Knightbridge.
West Ham nearly doubled their lead in the 72nd minute; some link-up play from Patrick Kelly and George Earthy ended with a ball into the box to Lewis Orford, with Nick Townsend denying the Hammers again.
Heavy rainfall punctuated long periods of the second half, with a slippy surface making it difficult for either side to create any clear chances.
In tough conditions, the team continued to hunt for an equaliser. Matty Bondswell came close in the 84th minute, meeting a cross from Nathan Wood at the back-post but not making enough contact to squeeze it past Knightbridge.
West Ham’s George Earthy picked up the ball in his own half in the 87th minute, running at the defence and feeding a ball into Kodua in our box. The outstretched arm of Nick Towsend brilliantly denied the striker a second of the evening in what would be the final notable chance of the evening.
Full-time.
Attention now turns to our FA Cup clash with Oldham Athletic this Saturday. You can purchase tickets for the match here.
Newport County: Townsend, Payne, Delaney, Baker, Morris, Bogle, Waite (Drysdale 74’), Bennett (Wildig 74’), Rai (Evans 74’), Wood, Bondswell
Subs: Needham, Drysdale, Evans, McLoughlin, Thomas, Wildig, Young
West Ham U21: Knightbridge, Laing, Casey (Forbes 89’), Luizao, Robinson, Scarles, Orford, Kelly, Chesters (Clayton 74’), Kodua (Battrum 96’), Earthy
Subs: Forbes, Herrick, Moore, Fawunmi, Clayton, Battrum, Tarima
Attendance: 800 (39 away).