Busy Week Starts In Positive Fashion

September started with a 4-2 home win over Wolverhampton Wanderers for West Ham United. They were back in Stratford on Saturday afternoon and they followed that result up with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Derby County.

Nuno Espírito Santo made two changes from Tuesday night’s starting line-up, as Joël Veltman was preferred to Kyle Walker-Peters in defence, while Valentín Castellanos took the place of Pablo Felipe. Both men took their places amongst the substitutes, along with Development Squad trio Finlay Herrick, Airidas Golambeckis and Keiber Lamadrid who were also on the bench.

All three of the club’s newest recruits were in the matchday squad as Morato, Adama Boiro and Edvin Austbø were included by the Portuguese Head-Coach.

West Ham’s first win of the new campaign obviously gave them confidence and that certainly showed here, as they made a promising start. When Joël Piroe put them in front with only six minutes gone after captain Jarrod Bowen had sent a cross into the box, Castellanos headed back and the Dutchman was on hand to beat visiting goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterström.

For the rest of the first-half the hosts piled on the pressure, but chances unfortunately came and went. Bowen, Castellanos, Max Kilman, and Konstantinos Mavropanos all tried their luck but couldn’t add to their tally.

Derby weren’t given much time on the ball, consequently they achieved very little on the odd occasion when they did have possession hence the one-way traffic!!! The only problem for the home side was that there was no end product as the opponents did keep their shape. Dion Sanderson was in the way of Bowen’s next attempt, while a powerful header from a corner forced a top drawer save from Widell Zetterström.

The Rams had an opportunity late in the half but it was never going to trouble home goalkeeper Mads Hermansen. In fact, it was one of the only times in the entire match that the former Leicester City stopper saw the ball. Former West Bromwich Albion and Barnsley player Alex Mowett took responsibility for starting the move.

The Hammers were soon back in control and both Divine Mukasa and Bowen linked up to great effect to play in Castellanos but, the Argentine narrowly missed the target.

Although the majority inside the stadium would have wanted to see more goals, the one thing that did satisfy them was the fact that they still had their slender advantage intact when referee Oliver Langford blew the whistle for the break.

The roles were completely reversed at the start of the second-half, as the Rams were continually looking for an equaliser, whereas the Irons seemed to be content with what they had. The away fans saw a lot of the ball up their end even though John Eustace’s side were yet to register a shot on target.

The game finally burst into life. Bowen firstly tested Widell Zetterström, before Manor Solomon volleyed straight at the stopper after Mukasa had delivered the perfect cross into the area.

On sixty five minutes, Espírito Santo made his first change as Lewis Orford entered the fray for Castellanos.

With his side still only a goal in front, the former Wolverhampton Wanderers, Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest Head-Coach introduced two of his recent signings; Solomon and Oliver Scarles made way for Boiro and Austbø.

No sooner had the young Norwegian come on, he was celebrating his first goal. Arne Engels raced into space and crossed. Bowen couldn’t quite connect but luckily, the ball fell invitingly for the winger and he relieved the pressure for the majority in the Stadium, but to be fair, he couldn’t really miss!!!

The encounter entered four minutes of stoppage time and just seconds later, the hosts made their final substitution, as Morato made his first appearance in front of the home fans and took the place of Mukasa.

Just as the game was about to end, substitute Mohamadou Kanté, who had just replaced the skipper claimed his first goal for the club since moving to East London in the summer of 2024 when he gave Widell Zetterström no chance when he cracked a shot into the net. That was virtually the last kick of the game, as the final whistle was greeted by loud cheers from the Stratford faithful.

If you thought this week was busy, the East Londoners are in action on again on Tuesday before they are back here again on Friday.

Tuesday match sees Espírito Santo take his side to The Toughsheet Community Stadium to face newly-promoted Bolton Wanderers.