WEST HAM UNITED RESERVES 5 (Kearns 16, Dyer 36, 63, Dixon 64, Nouble 82)
STOKE CITY RESERVES 2 (Moult 62, 75)

TEENAGER Louis Moult was on target twice for Stoke City . . . but he couldn't prevent them from slipping to defeat in their Barclays Premier Reserve League South fixture away to West Ham United on Tuesday evening.

Despite Moult's double, Mark O'Connor's side eventually lost the game 5-2 in an entertaining affair at Bishop's Stortford's Woodside Park amidst extremely poor weather conditions.

Ahead of the game O'Connor fielded a strong line up with the likes of Steve Simonsen, Danny Higginbotham, Andy Griffin and summer signing Diego Arismendi all included, however both Leon Cort and Tom Soares were pulled out of the team late on meaning Academy stars Tom Urwin and Matthew Cohen came in as their replacements.

The hosts included England international Kieron Dyer amongst their starting eleven and he proved to be pivotal for the Hammers as he continued his rehabilitation from a long term injury.

City could count themselves unlucky not to have been awarded a penalty just six minutes in when livewire Moult appeared to be brought down by a rash challenge from Kearns, however, the referee deemed the defender to have played the ball before the man and waved play on.

The young Irish defender then popped up at the other end of the pitch to break the deadlock with a clinically taken strike ten minutes later. Former Chelsea youngster Frank Nouble fired a dangerous ball across the box and Kearns neatly controlled before firing beyond Simonsen and into the far corner.

The Potters pushed forward in search of an equaliser but despite the best attempts of Arismendi and Moult there appeared to be no way through a stern Hammers backline. In fact it was the hosts side who doubled their advantage ten minutes before the interval. A superb passage of football calved out an opportunity for Dyer, and the England international made absolutely no mistake from 10-yards.

To the visitors credit, they refused to lie down and die and could have dragged themselves back into the clash right on the stroke of half time when Moult beat two men and smashed the ball at goal, only to see it agonisingly hit the side-netting.

City continued their assault on the United goal and spurned a glorious opportunity immediately after the restart. England Under 20 star Nathaniel Wedderburn whipped an inviting centre into the danger zone which Hammers keeper Stech misjudged, and after an almighty scramble Urwin blazed over from 5-yards with the goal at his mercy.

Former Crewe star Matthew Lund then dragged an effort just wide on the hour mark, but the breakthrough for O'Connor's side did eventually come two minutes later, when Moult powerfully glided Lund's corner into the top right hand corner to spark a frantic few minutes.

Just as the Potters had forged their way back into the contest disaster struck immediately as Dyer, 30, restored United's two goal advantage straight from the kick-off. The midfielder latched on to a clever ball from Terry Dixon before smashing the ball low and hard beyond Simonsen and into the back of the net.

A remarkable three minute spell was completed soon after as Dixon turned from provider to goal-scorer as he slid home from close range to round off a superb move from the hosts. The Potters' backline looked shell shocked and they had to be on guard to ensure it remained just four as Dyer and Nouble threatened to extend the lead.

After weathering the storm though and ensuring a fifth didn't follow City once again dragged themselves back into the game, and again it came from Academy star Moult, who continued his rich vein of form with a second well taken header after Lund brilliantly picked him out inside the penalty area.

Despite pressing forward in search of a third late on, it was the hosts who rounded off the evening's entertainment with a fifth in the 82nd minute thanks to England Under 19 protégé Nouble, who made no mistake from 10-yards.

City (4-4-2): Simonsen, Griffin, Cohen, Faye, Higginbotham, Lund, Arismendi, Moult, Wedderburn, Urwin. Subs Not Used: Parton, McDonald, Connor, Nicholls.