City bow out of the Under-21 Premier League Cup

TWO GOALS in each half for West Ham United Under-21s knocked the Grecians out of the Under-21 Premier League Cup at the Round of 32 stage.

City got off to the worst possible start as Jaanai Gordon fired the Hammers into a two-goal lead within eleven minutes. As the game opened up in the latter stages, goals from Djair Parfitt-Williams and Moses Makasi sealed West Ham’s place in the next round.

The Grecians named a strong team for the game, including a start for striker Jamie Reid, who was fresh off the back of scoring an equaliser for the first-team against Bristol Rovers last weekend.

West Ham came out of the traps quickly as they took the lead just ten seconds after kick-off. Jaanai Gordon, who scored five goals in ten games for non-league Chelmsford City last-season, received the ball inside the City area before blasting a fierce effort beyond keeper James Hamon from the right hand-side of Exeter’s six-yard box.

Gordon scored his, and West Ham’s second, ten minutes later. Midfielder Marcus Brown found Gordon with a cross from the right-hand side, who proceeded to double the Hammers’ lead with a close-range finish.

Exeter should have halved the deficit on the half-hour mark. Alex Byrne’s in-swinging free kick was headed back across goal by Jordan Storey, but Ollie Watkins could only find the side-netting of West Ham keeper Sam Howes' goal.

City began to find their way into the match towards the end of the second-half as Jamie Reid and Ollie Watkins both had efforts blocked, but some resolute defending from the away side meant that City trailed at the break by two goals to nil.

HALF-TIME: EXETER CITY UNDER-21 0–2 WEST HAM UNITED UNDER-21