Something about the defeat on Monday night felt different: A puncturing of false optimism, perhaps, brought on by the hope that Nuno Espírito Santo could get a tune out of West Ham’s flawed squad. Something that had eluded his two predecessors felt for a while after the Everton performance, tantalisingly ‘possible’.
And now reality has struck with a sad resignation that the Hammers are most definitely in a fight to stay afloat in the Premier League.
There is the odd piece of good news around though, small comfort compared with the senior squad in crisis, but good news indeed. Hammers academy graduate Lewis Orford finally got some action on loan at third tier Stevenage and by all accounts showed the Hertfordshire side what they’ve been missing by consistency failing to select the Hammers youngster.
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Having been stuck on the sidelines since the start of the season, Orford finally made it into the starting line up and played a full 90 minutes for Stevenage in their 5-2 win against Crystal Palace u21’s in their Vertu Trophy win. Not only that, Orford, according to stevenagefc.com – had a decent enough debut:
“Phoenix Patterson bagging his second of the game fifteen minutes from time after a fine one-two with Lewis Orford before finding the roof of the net from a tight angle.
The cherry was added in the second minute of additional time when West Ham loanee Lewis Orford notched his first Stevenage goal on his first Stevenage – and senior – appearance. The young midfielder timed his run into the box to perfection before converting the cut back with power and into the back of the net”
An assist and a goal on debut. Great stuff. Hopefully he’ll see his chances boosted for making the League One side’s starting eleven on a weekly basis.