West Ham THRASH Arsenal 5-1 to win the FA Youth Cup for the first time since 1999

Around 7,000 West Ham supporters – young and old – made the early-evening trip across London to huddle in the lower tier of the Emirates’ Clock End. Those hands had been ticking for 24 years without a night like this. Those in claret and blue were made to wait 90 minutes more but then champagne bubbles blew into the dark skies and the class of 2023 took their place in Hammers folklore.

Not since Joe Cole, Michael Carrick and West Ham’s Generation ’99 have West Ham been in the FA Youth Cup final. Let alone win it. A remarkable run for one of England’s most famed finishing schools. Or the Academy of Football, as they prefer to be known.

They ended that hoodoo last night, dismantling Jack Wilshere’s Arsenal on their home patch. It finished 5-1 but the highlight was a quite outrageous goal by captain Gideon Kodua.

The winger chipped poor Noah Cooper from 35 yards, shortly before half-time. That made it 3-1 before Kaelan Casey’s header made it four and Josh Briggs started the party a few minutes from time.

At one point, however, Kevin Keen’s side gave themselves a mountain to climb, falling behind to Omari Benjamin’s early opener before goals from George Earthy and Callum Marshall turned this game on its head.

West Ham beat Arsenal 5-1 to win the FA Youth Cup for the first time in 24 years on Tuesday

George Earthy inspired West Ham’s comeback with a sensational equaliser in the first half

Something to savour for West Ham, at last, after a poor season – at least at first-team level.

Incredibly, should David Moyes’ side reach the final of the Europa Conference League, they’ll have a smaller travelling support than turned up here, which included first-team skipper Declan Rice, who watched from the directors box. 

For Wilshere and his players, an impressive and improbable run to the final ended in heartache.

This marked the start of a huge seven days in north London. Tonight, the first team put their title hopes on the line at Manchester City and then next Monday, the women face Wolfsburg for a place in the Champions League final.

Wilshere will wonder how, after taking the lead and controlling much of the first half, his side headed down the tunnel trailing 3-1. But this West Ham side sealed their first Premier League South title by with a recent victory over Arsenal and they were utterly ruthless last night.

Earthy drilled a shot home from the edge of the box to equalise with virtually the visitors’ first opening and the comeback was complete minutes later, when Kodua’s pinpoint cross was turned home by Marshall. And then came the captain’s delicious third.

Pity Josh Robinson, who had impressed at the heart of Arsenal’s back four until he missed his kick on halfway and Kodua raced in behind. With Cooper scrambling back into his area, the forward took aim and then led his team-mates in a merry jig.

By then, Benjamin’s seventh-minute opener was a distant memory. No matter that his was a fine strike, too. 

It came after a brilliant run from defence by Reuell Walters, who drove towards the West Ham area before sliding in Amario Cozier-Duberry. 

Callum Marshall put the Irons 2-1 up no more than two minutes later with a well-taken tap in

Omari Benjamin put Arsenal 1-0 up in the early stages before West Ham’s attacking onslaught

His effort from a tight angle was saved by Mason Terry but the ball ran to the edge of the box and Benjamin curled it home first time.

Wilshere’s side continued to probe even after falling behind. The delivery of right back Michal Rosiak caused problems for the visitors as did Arsenal’s driving runs from defence. 

Ethan Nwaneri, 16, came close. So did Cozier-Duberry. The issue for the home side was at the other end. 

West Ham looked dangerous every time they came forward and this evening had turned a bit grim by the end, after Casey and substitute Briggs both netted from late corners.