When asked by The Local Answer on Monday whether he’d prefer to beat West Ham or Exeter City this week, Cheltenham Town boss Gary Johnson said that if he had to choose then the three points on Saturday were his priority.

Well, if his League Two charges can play to anything like the level they performed last night against the Londoners – despite the 2-0 scoreline – then the Whaddon Road faithful will be very hopeful of registering a ‘W’ against the team from Devon in 48 hours’ time.

West Ham arrived in Gloucestershire for the Carabao Cup second round tie under pressure after losing their first two Premier League games of the season.

With the Sky cameras present for every kick, run and shot – TV bosses can always scent a potential giant-killing – Cheltenham harried and hustled their illustrious opponents to the point that when the first goal came it was almost a surprise that it did not go to the home side.

Johnson’s boys had grown into the game after a quiet opening but once Diafra Sakho had struck to put the Hammers ahead in the 40th minute it was always going to be tough and Andre Ayew’s goal three minutes later made it even tougher.

Roared on by a crowd of 6,259 – chairman Paul Baker said it was a “win win” game for his club – Cheltenham gave it everything in the second half and went close to scoring themselves, most notably when the impressive Harry Pell’s cross volley just eluded onrushing substitute Dan Holman.

They could have had a penalty, too, when Arthur Masuaku appeared to bundle over Mohamed Eisa on the edge of the box.

A goal would have been the least they deserved for their efforts last night. But while the fans will have been disappointed not to have added a Premier League scalp to the club’s remarkable CV over the past 20 years, company bosses in and around Cheltenham may not have been so upset.

That’s because they no longer needed to worry about how many of their staff would turn up to work on time today because had Cheltenham gone through to the third round of the competition for the first time in their history, the fans would surely have been setting their alarm clocks in the early hours to hear the draw for the last 32… which took place at 4.15am BST in China!