TWO young West Ham United starlets are making quite an impression down at the Prospects Stadium.

Goalkeeper Tim Brown and central midfielder Ben Marlow joined the ranks at Canvey last month and have gone from strength to strength in the yellow of the Gulls.

Brown, only 17, has kept five clean sheets in 11 matches, while Marlow, 19, has produced some combative performances in the middle of the park, including several assists.

And the young stars, who have their eye on a place in the West Ham first team in the future, think playing regularly for the Ryman Premier League outfit can only see them develop into better footballers.

“I am really enjoying my time here,” said Brown, who has played regularly in the Hammers development team. From the first minute up to this point has been brilliant and I think I am liking it so much because it is a totally different experience.

“It is a very physical game and, although it is hard to get used to that, it is something I need to learn. I will be able to take this back to West Ham and really push on.

“What I have noticed most of all is winning means everything at Canvey. And although there is that pressure to do well, I don’t feel it. I am spurred on by the expectations here and I love playing in front of so many fans.”

And Brown says playing in front of a big crowd, of home and away fans, on a regular basis is making him a better and stronger player.

“Going from playing in front of a crowd of 10 at Little Heath to more than 600 in the FA Cup (against Havant & Waterlooville) is incredible. Having so many people behind the goal gives it an extra edge too. It makes me laugh!”

Marlow is another who has caught the eye. The midfielder, who has featured on a number of occasions for the under-21 and under-18 sides, has played alongside the likes of Alex Song for the Hammers and hopes he can make a big contribution for the Gulls in his time at the club.

“It has been great for me,” agreed Marlow, who joined shortly after Brown after Charlie Barlow was ruled out for two months. I came back from quite a serious injury – I broke a metatarsal in my foot – so it is a brilliant feeling to come here and represent such a fantastic club.

“We both wanted to come here and show what we could do but also get some minutes under our belts.

And Marlow, who described himself as a tough tackling, tenacious and hard-working midfielder, said the players in the dressing room have helped him fit effortlessly into the team.

“The lads have been great,” he said. “They are a really nice bunch and there are some really good players in there too.”

Brown came in after a tricky start to the season, in which Danzelle St Louis-Hamilton, Melvin Minter and another young Hammer Danny Boness struggled for form between the sticks. But Brown has revelled since he joined five weeks ago, although he knows he has a hard act to follow.

Arsenal’s Josh Vickers became a firm fans favourite at the Prospects Stadium last season, before returning to the Gunners at the end of the season, starring in the FA Youth Cup.

And Brown, who was on trial at Arsenal before he joined the Hammers, says he wants to emulate what Vickers did at Canvey.

“I know the people here remember how well Josh did for them,” said Brown. “He came here to develop and he has done that. He is really pushing on at Arsenal and hopefully I can follow that.

“I had been struggling with a dead leg and a groin injury before I joined and it is nice to get a run of games after I had only been playing about six matches a year due to injury.”

Brown and Marlow also spoke highly of their parent club’s chances in the Premier League this season. The Hammers are sitting in fifth place after a superb start to the season and Marlow says the club’s decision to stick with Sam Allardyce after a tricky campaign last term is bearing fruit.

“I genuinely think they will do very well this year,” said the midfielder. “The likes of Enner Valencia, Diafra Sakho and Alex Song have come in and hit the ground running. There is confidence in the squad and that is clear for everyone to see.”

“It’s the best team I have known West Ham to have,” said Brown. “It will be an exciting season.”

And that is true for these two emerging talents on the small island of Canvey, who are not just blowing bubbles but creating waves.