Braintree Town's poor run of form continued with a 2-4 defeat to West Ham United's under-21 side in the National League Cup group stage on Tuesday. The result extends their losing streak to five matches across all competitions, a sequence that has left them 20th in the National League - South with 10 points from 11 games.
West Ham's youngsters took control early, with Dan Cummings scoring twice in the first half. He opened the scoring after 13 minutes and added a second before the half-hour mark. Braintree pulled one back just before the break when substitute Jacob Mensah set up Jet Dyer to finish in the 41st minute.
Any hope of a comeback was extinguished shortly after half-time, as Joel Kerr made it 3-1 to the visitors in the 50th minute. Alfie Matthews, another substitute, scored Braintree's second in the 71st minute, but West Ham restored their two-goal cushion almost immediately. The defeat confirms Braintree's exit from the competition, while West Ham United U21s progress as group winners.
West Ham manager Mark Robson praised his team's performance. "I thought we were really good, especially in terms of team play," he said. "To win three games in this competition against men is a real feat."
Braintree made six substitutions during the match, with Swann receiving a late booking. The team must now regroup quickly ahead of a difficult league trip to face second-placed Salisbury this Saturday.
