West Ham United's Checkatrade Trophy campaign was brought to an abrupt end on Tuesday night, with a 3-0 defeat to League Two side Wycombe Wanderers which eliminated them from the competition.
The young Hammers still have one game left to play, but after their second defeat from two games, can no longer advance past the group stages.
Slumping to another defeat
Terry Westley's side travelled to Adams Park look to rectify their 4-2 defeat to Coventry City in their Checkatrade bout. It got off to a terrible start for the young Hammers, with Scott Kashke hitting the post just a minute in, before Adebayo Akinfenwa fired home the opening goal seven minutes into the contest.
The away side started up improve from there having a number of close calls, with Grady Diangan coming closest in the first 45 minutes, but they trailed to Gareth Ainsworth's side at the break.
It was over just after the break with Scott Kashket slotting home three minutes after the restart, Westley's side pushed for a way back into the game with Jahmal Hector-Ingram, Marcus Browne, and Hector-Ingram but a goal from Nick Freeman rounded off the tie.
Should have got more
It is another disappointing defeat for the Premier League Cup winners, despite their excellent chances and academy coach Liam Manning admitted that they should have gotten more from the game.
"It was definitely pleasing to see how many chances we created. We had good quality spells of possession and we should have come away with a couple of goals," Manning told whufc.com.
“That’s the disappointing thing, that we are creating things well but conceding at the other end. We’re frustrated with the manner of which the goals we conceded. It’s of course a really good experience for us, though."
Manning concluded: “It’s been good playing against first teams like that, where when we make mistakes we get punished. It’s what the competition’s about."
West Ham United U23's will take on Northampton Town in the Checkatrade Trophy at Sixfields Stadium on Tuesday, November 8 with kick-off at 7:45pm BST.