Town's U23 side are still looking for their first points of the new season after they were comprehensively beaten 4-1 by QPR at Loftus Road on Friday afternoon, Ben Morris netting the Blues’ goal.
Transfer-listed pair Cameron Stewart and Piotr Malarczyk both started but it was an otherwise young side fielded by coach Gerard Nash.
Town should have taken an early lead when a slip from a Hoops defender released Monty Patterson, but the New Zealand international slotted the ball the wrong side of a post when he should really have at least hit the target.
At the other end, keeper Michael Crowe then made two outstanding saves to keep the scores level. He clawed Eberechi Eze's curling effort away from the top corner before moments later back-pedalling to get a hand to Brandon Adams's goalbound looping header.
However, there was nothing Crowe could do to prevent the hosts taking the lead on 17. Adams fed Dan Derbyshire who held off Pat Webber and hit a powerful left-foot shot which found its way into the net.
Three minutes later and Town found themselves two goals behind. Brandon Comley's low long-range drive cannoned off a post and although Crowe blocked Adams's initial rebound, the frontman netted at the second attempt.
Adam McDonnell's effort from 25 yards was the only save of the half that home stopper Marcin Brzozowski was forced to make, while Crowe was forced to keep Eze's shot towards the bottom corner out minutes before the break.
Although few chances were created by either side after the break, Town were gifted a way back into the game on 72. Malarczyk's long ball forward was misjudged by Brzozowski who saw the ball bounce over him and Ben Morris roll it into the empty net.
Morris came close to levelling the scores soon after when he nipped in between a hesitant defender and Brzozowski, but he was forced wide and his effort rolled agonisingly across the goal and inches wide of the far post.
However the hosts hit back with seven minutes remaining. Centre-back Cole Kpekawa stepped up and smashed a free kick from 25 yards beyond Crowe.
In the final minute of normal time Crowe, who had kept Town in the match with a number of fine saves, was dispossessed by Eze in his area and the striker added a fourth for QPR with ease.
Despite often lacking much support, Morris looked lively up front during the second half. Neither Stewart or Malarczyk will have done much to impress any watching scouts and in particular, Stewart's lack of confidence was clear for all to see.
U23s: Crowe, Fowler, Webber (Salaudeen 70), Blanchfield, C Smith (c), Malarczyk, Stewart, McDonnell (Nydam 78), Morris, Benyu (McKendry 78), Patterson. Unused: Wright, Downes.