Despite the strange ticket office practice of not selling us tickets next to an empty single seat, Matt, Lisa, Fraser, Nigel and myself are able to find enough wide open spaces to sit together in our usual spot at the London Stadium in our second home match in four days.
The evening begins with the usual flame throwers and a mass display of red and white scarves from the Silkeborg fans — who seem a much friendlier bunch than the Belgians of Anderlecht with their flares and seat lobbing.
Antonio goes close early on, shooting at the keeper's leg after a fine through ball from Fornals. Nayef Aguerd finally make his debut and he looks an assured presence with a cultured left foot. It's a good run-out for him against a side that looks Championship standard.
The Irons continue to press with Benrahma setting up Coventry for a shot just past the post. The only goal comes after half a hour. The ball appears to be drifting off, but keeper Larsen foolishly rushes off his line and Antonio goes down like a felled oak after slight contact. Not sure it's a penalty at all, but Lanzini dispatches it, even though the keeper gets close. Benrahma heads just wide at the end of the half after a good move involving Lanzini and Coufal.
The second half sees Fornals drag a great chance wide after a defender passes straight to him. But slowly West Ham's B team start to ease off and Klynge tests Areola with a low effort. The West Ham keeper then has to make a great leap to defy Tengstedt. Are we about to be assimilated by the Borg?
At the other end it's almost two as Benrahma cuts inside from a corner only to see Larsen's foot deflect the ball wide. Moyes plays Antonio and Scamacca together for a whole 16 minutes, while Rice and Soucek are brought on late to shore it up. We should have had more, but a team of squad players has done a professional job.
We head off to the Olde Black Bull for some pints of Razor Back where Fraser says there's nothing he enjoys more than a clean sheet and a 1-0 victory through a dodgy penalty. Nigel's hoping that Barrow versus Crewe will be a better game, where he's completing his 92 grounds aided by groundhopper Reg. And inspired by Conor Coventry he's wondering if any players have played for a club with the same surname — and thinks we should loan Coventry to Coventry just to make it happen.
That's six home wins in a row now, even if three were in the Europa Conference. We've won the group, the kids can play at FCSB and it's European football again in March. Irons!
PLAYER RATINGS: Areola 7; Coufal 6, Johnson 7, Ogbonna 6, Aguerd 6 (Kehrer 6), Emerson 6; Coventry 6 (Rice n/a), Lanzini 7, Fornals 6 (Downes 6), Benrahma 7 (Scamacca 6); Antonio 6 (Soucek n/a).
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