Kingstonian 0-3 West Ham United
Nouble strikes Hammer blow

Teenage Canadian international goalkeeper Adam Street denied Kingstonian three times a goal as he starred in a pre-season workout for a second string West Ham United.

With most of the senior squad in China in one of those unheard of tournaments that punctuate July, the Hammers sent to Kingsmeadow a squad of reserves, triallists and recent signing Frank Nouble from Chelsea and they came away with a 3-0 win.

However Ks could have given the East Enders a fright if Tommy Williams' right foot shot had gone in during the second half and ex-Hammer Ian Pearce had not been denied in the first half and even earlier Wilson-Denis.

The three goals came from Matt Fry and Nouble, whose second came from a mix up at the back which he pounced upon Lineker-esque.

It was the home side that first threatened within just the first minute. A cross from the right by Wilson-Denis found Pearce's head but the ball could only sail wide of the far post.

Photo: Ken Sparks - Kingstonian FC

However the Hammers soon began to dominate and show their class with passing across the field and it was not long before Anthony Edgar, recently back from Austria with the first team, took a chance at goal. It went straight to Luke Garrard. Almost immediately at the other end NJ Lampton shot wide of the post.

Still the visitors tried to boss the game and duly in the 22nd minute a free kick on the left was bundled in by Fry from eight yards through the defence. And it could have been easily doubled as provider tried to be poacher. A long solo run up the left two minutes later by Edgar saw him cut into the centre before waywardly shooting to the left.

Almost immediately Wilson-Denis picked up a cross from Lewis Cook but he was unable to score as he shot low on the right.

Another cross found his head this time only for Street to deny him with a save. Rebounding away, Wilson-Denis came in for the kill but was once again denied point blank by Street.

Photo: Ken Sparks - Kingstonian FC

Lampton then tried his luck but was unable to make use of the chance presented to him.

Inevitably with all this pressure on Street something had to give and it was at the other end that saw Garrard pick the ball out of the net after a low left shot from Nouble went below the diving Ks' skipper.

Still with two goals conceded Kingstonian were not out of the fight and once more at the Athletics End the visiting goalkeeper was quick to grab the ball away from Lampton's head as he teed up from Wilson-Denis' precision pass. A corner then saw Lampton with another headed chance but on the left he tamely headed down into the ground and beyond the near post.

Minutes later Williams took a corner from the left this time with a short pass out to Cook. His cross into the box found Pearce lurking. His header was once again saved point blank by Street.

At the other end it was Garrard who had to do a reaction save with minutes left of the first half. Edgar broke through the defence on the left and shot towards the far post only for Garrard to dive quickly away from his line and deny him.

Photo: Ken Sparks - Kingstonian FC

The second half began with both teams unchanged. The Hammers were soon into their stride and Nouble scored his second of the night and his third since signing only 10 days ago. A mix up in the defence with Francis Duku trying to shepherd the ball back to Garrard saw Nouble punish them both when he came in from the left and score 15 yards out.

Within minutes Williams nearly had the keeper beaten but the ball had other ideas as it went just over the bar rather than below.

Photo: Ken Sparks - Kingstonian FC

Soon after the inevitable string of substitutions began as first Ryan Lake and Jamie Beer left for the youngsters Rob Sheridan and Tom Dilloway. Within minutes ex-Scottish international and skipper for the day Nigel Quashie took his chance. He shot left and low to the goal and with Garrard watching, it hit the upright before rebounding away. Edgar was once again provider.

Another double substitution saw Liam Collins and Williams make way for Jon Coke and Luke Pigden. The visitors put on three players including Andrea Zola, son of manager Gianfranco. Edgar's free kick then saw Garrard punch the ball to the left decisively.

It was almost the last action he saw as Josh Willis came on for him in the next round of changes minutes later. Following Garrard was Lampton, Pearce and Wilson-Denis with Christian Jolley, Scott Simpson and also Reggie Savage. Minutes later United followed suit with Street leaving for triallist James Plazzi, with AS Roma youth player Simone Bezzicheri, Callum McNaughton and Saudi striker Ahmed Abdulla coming on. Nouble was one of those to come off.

Jolley then almost made a quick impact as he made use of the last set of changes to cross in, only for Plazzi to save it as it came goalwards. At the other end Edgar had a wayward shot; but by now the steam was going out of the game after 16 minutes of continuous substitutions.

The last two chances went first to Sheridan, whose 35-yard free kick went looping over the bar and into the back of the stand, and then in the dying minutes Coke skewed over a shot from Simpson.

For both sides it was a useful workout and certainly Ks far from disgraced themselves as they battled hard in front of an entertained crowd of 810. But for the class of Street the score line could have been different although the visitors would have been hard done by not to win this, albeit by a lesser margin.