Northern Ireland trio Josh Briggs, Callum Marshall and Patrick Kelly helped West Ham hit back from a goal down to claim their first FA Youth Cup crown in 24 years after a comprehensive 5-1 victory over Arsenal in the final.
Omari Benjamin gave the Gunners’ under-18s a seventh-minute lead at the Emirates Stadium, but George Earthy levelled just after the quarter-mark with a fizzing strike from the edge of the box.
Two minutes later and the Hammers were ahead through Marshall, who coolly netted from Gideon Kodua’s ball into the area before the provider turned goal-scorer moments before half-time.
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Josh Robinson mis-controlled a pass on halfway which allowed Kodua to steal in, with the West Ham forward expertly chipping over stranded Arsenal goalkeeper Noah Cooper from 40 yards out.
Kaelan Casey extended West Ham’s lead after 79 minutes by heading home from Ollie Scarles’ corner, while substitute Briggs scored with his first touch at the death to rubber-stamp an emphatic victory.
The last time West Ham went all the way in this competition was in 1999, when a team containing Joe Cole and Michael Carrick thrashed Coventry 9-0 over two legs.
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