The Hatters Under-21s went down to a 4-1 defeat against Burnley in their first game of this season’s Premier League Cup at Kenilworth Road.

Burnley took the lead in the fifth minute when Kamarni Ryan scampered down the left flank and crossed for Joe Westley to finish past goalkeeper Liam Coyne from close range.

The Hatters’ response to going behind was good but the visitors almost doubled their lead on 16 minutes only for Brandon Ly to flash a shot across goal.

However, the Town were not so lucky on 22 minutes when the Clarets made it 2-0. After creating the first goal, Ryan got his name on the scoresheet, sending a header from a left-wing corner in off the crossbar.

The Hatters’ goal was almost breached six minutes later when the lively Brandon Ly surged clear of the defence but his shot came back off the post.

Ly came within a whisker once more of giving Burnley a third on the half-hour mark only to see his shot from the edge of the box deflect inches wide.

At half-time manager Alex Lawless made an attacking change, introducing Sam Anderson for Jack Bateson, and the forward didn’t take long to make an impact, warming the hands of Burnley goalkeeper Sam Waller with a shot six minutes after the restart.

But the Hatters’ positive start to the second period was quickly extinguished shortly before the hour when Westley got his second for visitors nodding home a right-wing cross from inside the penalty area.

The Town came close to pulling one back with 20 minutes to go when Josh Phillips’ low shot, after cutting inside from the right, was parried away by Waller before Jack Lortenzen-Jones skied the rebound.

Burnley continued to pose a threat as the Hatters pushed for a way back into the game and Westley was denied his hat-trick for the Clarets on 79 minutes when his well-struck shot, after rounding Coyne, pinged back off the upright.

In the closing stages Coyne did superbly to deny Westley his treble from close range but in the first minute of injury time, Burnley found a fourth when substitute Joe Bauress found space in the box to fire home.

However, the Hatters would have the last word when Claude Kayibanda nodded home a consolation with the final chance of the night.

Next up for the Town in the competition is a trip to Reading on 21st October.

Town: Coyne, Paternoster (sub Giwa 88), Benagr, Kayibanda, Bateson (sub Anderson 46), Francis-Clarke (sub Chigozie 81), Pinnington, Martins, Harris (sub Trustram 67), Lorentzen-Jones, Phillips.

Sub not used: Booth.