West Ham United U21s lost against Cheltenham Town in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday evening.
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Having gone 3-1 up in the first half through a brace from Dan Kemp and a superb long-range strike from Bernardo Rosa, the youngsters ended up losing 4-3, with Cheltenham making the most of their superior aerial presence, as shown in the highlights video on the EFL YouTube channel.
It was the team’s first defeat in any competition during the 2019/20 campaign:
Cheltenham fight back in the second half to inflict the U21s’ first defeat of the season.
Unlucky, lads. pic.twitter.com/mRMejRMgfL
— West Ham United (@WestHam) October 8, 2019
The team had been struck by injury at the back, as Winston Reid was supposed to have been included as an over-age player, but was eventually forced to pull out, due to back and knee pain, as reported by Football Insider.
To be impacted by injury, go ahead in a cup game before eventually losing, seems like a very West Ham thing to do for many of the club’s fans, so there is the feeling that the youngsters could fit in pretty well.
Despite the loss, the young Hammers still have a chance of reaching the knockout stages for the first time since the 2017/18 campaign, with group leaders Exeter City standing as their final opponents.
A selection of Twitter reaction to the result, including posts from amused West Ham fans, can be seen below:
It’s the West Ham way…
— Dabe1971 (@dabe1971) October 8, 2019
— Dunc9 (@WHU99) October 8, 2019
Bottling is in our DNA
— James Gunn (@jamesgunn_) October 8, 2019
Haha we are cursed
— I JW16 I (@J6mesWhu) October 8, 2019
Never change
— Matt Turner (@mattturner_97) October 8, 2019
west ham that
— Brandon (@sonnybrandon1) October 8, 2019
West Ham fans, who would you like to see promoted to the first-team? Join the discussion by commenting below…
