Under 23s match report: West Ham United 2 Man United 0

And there was another setback waiting for the Reds when game restarted as, within 20 seconds of the restart, the home side had been awarded a penalty.

Referee Alan Dale pointed to spot without hesitation when Chesters went down as Puigmal and Laird closed him down, even if replays showed any contact was minimal. Afalayan stepped forward confidently to send Paul Woolston the wrong way. It was a bitter pill for the visitors to swallow and the mood did not get any better when Pellistri had a strong penalty claim rejected when appearing to be tripped inside the box.
United did everything we could to pull the game around during the second half but, ultimately, it wasn’t to be our night. Pellistri had a shot saved and Elanga bent an effort just wide, while the ball pinged around the home box on several occasions. Substitute Joe Hugill also had a decent effort as the clock ticked on.
However, there was another blow when Hannibal was involved in a tangle of legs with Kai Corbett, who once had a trial match with our Under-18s, in the 87th minute. Despite the Frenchman earning the free-kick, he was sent off after a brief discussion between referee Dale and his assistant.