The solitary goal of the game was scored by Lewis Hall, who showed neat footwork to find space and fire past the goalkeeper.

The game started with our young Blues in control and enjoying possession, but the home side should have taken the lead through Callum Marshall, only for Eddie Beach to make a fantastic save to prevent the east London side from taking the lead.

We could have had a penalty late in the first period of the game as Ben Elliott was brought down in the box, but the referee refused to award a penalty. The loose ball fell to Derrick Abu, but his shot hit the crossbar.

Omari Hutchinson also had a good chance to give us the lead, but we could not open the scoring in the first half.

A disallowed goal for the home side woke our boys up in the second period and after intense pressure on the West Ham goal, Hall scored from just outside the box with a strong shot to open the scoring.

There were big chances for Hutchinson and Dion Rankine to wrap up the victory, while a late red card for Josh Brooking caused some final nervy moments, but we held out for a win and a clean sheet.

Team news

There was only one change made to the side who drew with Leicester City last weekend, and it was Cesare Casadei who came in for Charlie Webster. The Italian midfielder, who has settled into life at west London quickly, picked up a small knock hence exclusion from last week’s squad.

Bashir Humphreys and Zak Sturge both returned from injury but had to settle for places on the bench.

Back and forth

We started the better of the two sides as we controlled possession and forced a lot of errors in possession from our opponents. There were no clean efforts on goal but the intent to score was evident.

Despite this good start it was the young Hammers who fashioned the game’s first chance as a cross delivered by Michael Forbes found Callum Marshall whose shot was saved brilliantly from point-blank range by Beach in goal.

With 30 minutes gone, neither side was able to create clear-cut chances despite good combinations from both teams when in possession of the ball.

Edging closer

Our first big moment of the game came five minutes from half-time, as fantastic work to keep the ball in play from Burstow allowed Elliott to jink his way into the box. Despite seemingly being clipped, no spot-kick was awarded, and the loose ball fell at the feet of Abu who curled a left-footed effort onto the top of the crossbar.

Hutchinson had two openings to give us the lead just before half-time as his first effort was a right-foot shot that was headed for the corner of the goal, but goalkeeper Hegyi saved well. From a corner seconds later, a Casadei knockdown found Hutchinson, but he failed to make connection with the ball.

Deadlock broken

The home side thought they had taken the lead early in the second period as Divin Mubama headed into the net, but a late flag ruled out the goal for offside.

This woke up our young Blues as Elliott carried the ball well through midfield and fed Burstow, who set himself well and fired a shot which beat the keeper but was cleared off the line by Casey.

We broke the deadlock, and it was through Hall, fresh off his goal in the Papa John's Trophy against Oxford United, the midfielder with a similar piece of skill created space for a shot which he powered into the bottom corner of the goal.

Hall should have had his second and it was Elliott who found a great pass which freed Williams down the left. The left-back’s cross found Hall whose first-time shot was saved by Hegyi.

Nervy moments

We missed another opportunity to double our lead and again it was Elliott at the hub of creation as he supplied Hutchinson with an inch-perfect pass, the winger did well to get the ball out of his feet but Hegyi with an outstretched leg saved his goalbound shot.

The young Hammers did have a great chance to level the scores as Marshall was played in, but both goalkeepers were in inspired form as Beach made himself big to save well.

A late red card for Brooking did make it a nervous ending as we sat deep to protect our lead, but we stood strong and collected the three points alongside a second clean sheet of the season.

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Eddie Beach; Derrick Abu, Josh Brooking, Alfie Gilchrist (c), Dylan Williams; Lewis Hall, Cesare Casadei; Omari Hutchinson (Bashir Humphreys 90+6), Ben Elliott (Charlie Webster 82), Dion Rankine; Mason Burstow (Jude Soonsup-Bell 85).

Unused subs: Ted Curd, Zak Sturge.

Scorers: Lewis Hall 57.

Booked: Josh Brooking 79.

Red card: Josh Brooking 90+4.

West Ham United (4-2-3-1): Krisztian Hegyi; Will Greenidge, Michael Forbes, Pierre Ekwah (c), Kaelan Casey (Regan Clayton 69), Freddie Potts, Divin Mubama, Keenan Appiah-Forson, Callum Marshall, George Earthy, Oliver Scarles.

Unused subs: Lennon Peake, Brian Kinnear, Archie Woods, Remy Coddington.

Booked: Pierre Ekwah 61; Keenan Appiah-Forson 64.