Charlton were knocked out of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night having been beaten 3-0 by West Ham United at London Stadium.
Lee Bowyer’s side put in a decent performance against Premier League opposition but a brace from Sebastian Haller and another goal from Felipe Anderson proved to be too high a hurdle for the Addicks to overcome.
Bowyer made three changes to the side that beat Crewe 2-0 with Jonny Williams and Erhun Oztumer starting alongside debutant Dylan Levitt.
Former Addicks loanee Josh Cullen seemed eager to get on the ball early for his parent club as the hosts looked to apply some pressure through the middle of the park in the opening exchanges.
West Ham continued to pile on the pressure with five minutes played, though the visitors weren’t without chances of their own, Macauley Bonne just an inch away from pulling the trigger after a delightful ball into the box from Williams.
With 10 minutes gone the Hammers did have the ball in the net from a corner kick, though the goal was rightfully ruled out after a foul in the resulting melee in the box was spotted by Andre Marriner.
West Ham were showing their Premier League pedigree, seeing much more of the ball and fashioning a number of chances as the game trudged past the quarter hour mark.
And they should have made their pressure pay on 18 minutes when Ben Johnson displayed his pace to get away from Ben Purrington before dashing the ball across the face of goal to the feet of the arriving Haller. But the striker was only able to drag his shot wide.
But Haller would atone for his error just four minutes later when he opened the scoring for the hosts. A ball over the top was taken wonderfully by Yarmolenko, although he looked to be offisde, before finding the imposing forward in a similar position to the prior chance and this time he made no mistake.
Haller made it 2-0 just three minutes later. Robert Snograss’ perfectly weighted cross was met well by the Frenchman who powered a header well beyond the reach of Ben Amos and into the net to give the Irons a cushion.
West Ham continued to pile on the pressure after the goal, Haller just a fraction away from netting his hat trick when a low ball in from the left wing just evaded his sliding foot.
With half an hour gone Williams could have reduced the deficit when he, at the end of some neat football from the Addicks, was able to power a shot at former Addick Darren Randolph who failed to make the most convincing of saves.
Despite the scoreline, Charlton were intent on continuing to maintain their shape and play their football, Oztumer and Williams looking to carve out a handful of half chances for the visitors.
Four minutes from the break and Bonne went close again for the Addicks as he went sliding in to meet an Alfie Doughty cross after the youngster fizzed a low ball into the box. Again, the striker just a fraction off getting a telling touch.
Bowyer opted for a change at the break with Bonne being replaced by Chuks Aneke, the manager looking to get more minutes into the forward who missed a chunk of pre-season through injury.
His injection into the side almost paid off when he showed great determination to muscle off a claret and blue shirt following a clearance-come-through ball, and fashion a shot which was then blocked by some last ditch defending from the hosts.
Williams was then the next Charlton player to trouble West Ham’s defence on 52 minutes when he was able to charge at the box before lacing a shot which was saved by the strong hands of Randolph.
Yarmolenko then missed a glorious opportunity to score the goal that would have arguably sealed their place in the next round, fluffing his lines after being teed up wonderfully by Manuel Lanzini.
With just under a quarter of an hour to go Alex Gilbey and Conor Washington were introduced as Bowyer opted for a more attacking unit as they chased the game.
But on 79 minutes West Ham dealt the hammer blow when Lanzini danced into the box looking to shoot but in the end laid the ball off to Felipe Anderson who duly slotted into the bottom corner.
Despite the scoreline there were plenty of positives for Bowyer and the scoreline was, perhaps, somewhat harsh on the League One side who will now focus on league action with Doncaster Rovers making the journey to The Valley on Saturday.
West Ham: Randolph, Balbuena (c), Yarmolenko, Anderson, Lanzini, Snodgrass (Coventry 83), Haller, Diop, Masuaku, Johnson (Ashby 83), Cullen
Subs (Not Used): Martin, Fornals, Bowen, Silva, Alese
Goals: Haller 22, 25 Anderson 79
Booked: Johnson (Foul on Williams, 5), Masuaku (foul on Lapslie, 38)
Charlton: Amos, Purrington, Oshilaja, Williams (Washington 77), Bonne (Aneke 45), Pratley (c) (Gilbey 77) Doughty, Oztumer, Levitt, Lapslie, Barker
Subs (Not Used): Maynard-Brewer, Forster-Caskey, Morgan, Vennings
Referee: Andre Marriner
Attendance: 0 (Behind Closed Doors)