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Matthias Fanimo says he is “up for the fight” of trying to prove he can meet the demands of playing League Two football for Tranmere Rovers.

The 20-year-old winger began a youth loan from West Ham United early in September and was held back by issues relating to his fitness before finally seeing some first-team action last weekend.

Fanimo was a late substitute in Rovers’ 1-0 defeat at Carlisle United.

It was the London born youngster’s first taste of league football, although he’d made three substitute appearances for the Hammers in cup ties since turning professional in July 2012.

“It was good to get on,” Fanimo said. “You have to fight for your position on the pitch. It is not easy.

“Even though I have come from a Premier League club, it’s not a case of expecting to walk into the team.

“You have to earn the right to the shirt, week in, week out. I’m definitely relishing the challenge.”

Fanimo caught some popular attention for his speed over the ground. GPS technology recorded the youngster as being faster in a sprint than any player on the books at West Ham and quicker than some of the celebrated speed merchants of the European game.

But he wasn’t at full throttle when first arriving at Tranmere and the physical, unforgiving environment of the basement division is a long way from the under 21 football Fanimo has been used to with West Ham.

He said: “It different to under 21 football and there’s a lot more at stake, points to play for every week.

“It’s a whole different kind of football but I’m enjoying it. It’s difficult to get to the pace of the game and it’s a high standard. You have to adjust to it as quickly as possible.

“It’s a really hard game at this level and if you can’t adjust, you will be found out.”

Fanimo could not make any impression on the game in his 10 minutes at Brunton Park, where Tranmere’s defeat left them without a victory in five matches.

He said: “It is hard to lose a game to a set piece which was unavoidable. It’s one of those things that happens.

“Now we have to try and bounce back in the next game against Bury.”

Fanimo insists spirits remain high in the Prenton Park dressing room in spite of a slow start to the League Two campaign which has realised two wins from 10 games.

“The lads are up for every game but the results are not going for us,” Fanimo said. “I’m sure there will be a game soon when we get a good win and then the results will spin for us.”

Fanimo says he is keen to please both Tranmere and West Ham, whose manager, Sam Allardyce, approved the loan.

“Before I went out on loan, Sam Allardyce said ‘come back a better player’ and that’s what I’m looking to do,” Fanimo said.

“I would like to score a few goals for Tranmere. I came here off the back of scoring some goals for West Ham (at under 21 level) and that’s an achievement I want to make while I’m here.”