Heybridge Swifts beat a young West Ham side courtesy of triallist Chris Thomas’s second half header.

HEYBRIDGE Swifts beat a young West Ham side courtesy of triallist Chris Thomas’s second half header.

Blair Turgott had tapped home from Robert Haii’s knock on soon after the restart to seemingly give the Hammers the lead, however the linesman’s flag ruled out the goal before the hosts went straight up the other end to score when Steve Bourne’s excellent cross was glanced in by Thomas.

With manager Waynbe Bond away on holiday, the hosts created the first good chance after 16 minutes when Ricky Griggs burst into the box before shooting narrowly wide.

Nathan Smith played a blinder at the heart of the Heybridge defence throughout the afternoon to keep out Daniel Subuola and Dylan Tombides, although Tombides did strike a belter just wide on 25 minutes.

West Ham made five subs at half-time in search of an equaliser, but in an entertaining second half it was Heybridge that frustrated the Upton Park side with solid defending and a hunger for a second.

Lawrence Hale fired wide at the far post after 69 minutes following a deep free-kick from Billy Hawes and within a minute Reece Morgan went closer still with a 25-yard free-kick.

As the game went on the Hammers started to create chances and home keeper Jamie Bowyer needed to tip over a wicked cross from Kenzer Lee and be at full stretch to stop a 20 yarder from Haii.

And in a grandstand finish, West Ham claimed for handball against Adam Brotherton in their own box as he tried to cushion the ball, while at the other end Morgan drilled a low shot past the keeper only to be denied by the foot of the post.