Southend United 1 West Ham United XI 5

Pre Season Friendly, Friday July 23rd

Friday night saw me take in my sixth pre season friendly prior to the 2021/22 season, and it was at Roots Hall as fans were finally allowed to return and watch their side play, and 1,943 of them were there to see Southend United host a West Ham XI in what was their first home pre season of three ahead of their league campaign.

That league campaign would be outside of the Football League for the first time in 101 years after last seasons relegation from League Two into the Vanarama National League, so preparation was key in what was likely to be a watershed season as a club as they vow to bounce straight back into the EFL at the first time of asking, which will not be easy that's for sure.

The Hammers had brought a youthful squad to Roots Hall, but it still contained some very good youngsters and would certainly give The Blues a very tough test indeed, however the hosts started well and caught the Hammers cold on ten minutes when after Dunne did superbly down the right to make sure he won the loose ball, his cross found Rush whose first effort was blocked but the ball fell to him on the rebound and he tucked it away into the far corner, and the home fans had something to cheer early on.

The hosts had certainly settled the better of the two sides early on and it took the young visitors around 20-25 minutes to finally get a foothold in the contest, but once they did they found a leveller just before the half hour mark when Diallo's powerful shot from outside the box was palmed up into the air by the keeper, and Nevers was on hand to nod home the rebound and make it his first goal for the club in the process.

 And six minutes before the break West Ham edged in front as a corner from the right by Longelo was played into the mixer and centre half Baptiste ghosted in unmarked to power a header home and the visitors had a slender lead to take into the break.

The Blues needed a similar start to the second period as they had had in the first one, but three minutes after the break they fell further behind when a superb ball in from the right by Ashby found Nevers at the back post and he nodded home despite the keepers best efforts to keep it out, and that was his second of the contest too and The Hammers now had a two goal cushion.

The Blues tried to respond to this setback and saw Walsh drag wide from twenty five yards, but West Ham looked dangerous when the attacked and Seaden had to be smart to keep out Dju's effort, and then came nine changes for the Blues as they looked to try out several different players for the final twenty five minutes.

Immediately after this though West Ham made it four as after the Blues had lost the ball in midfield, the visitors pounced and eventually played a ball to the brilliant Dju who rifled a wonderful effort past Seaden and take the acclaim from the small West Ham contingent in the corner of that end of the ground.

The Blues made two further changes as they looked to try out the bulk of their squad and trialists, after all that is what pre season is for, but it was The Hammers who were to have the final say and complete the scoring by making it five with eight minutes remaining when another lovely ball in from the right caused chaos in the hosts six yard box, and Nevers managed to bundle over the line and complete his hat-trick, meaning on the night he netted his first goals for the club he did it in style and grabbed a treble.

He limped off after this goal and was replaced, but he had done his job and had helped fire his youthful side to an impressive win, whilst for the Blues it was a game in which they took the lead early on but thereafter were pretty much second best and found the West Ham youngsters to much to handle, but no doubt more useful minutes for Phil Brown's squad as they build towards the new season.

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