Huddersfield Town

- Huddersfield Town Under-21s record easy victory

- Bojaj, Billing, Pyke & Hanson score the goals

- Excellent first-half performance at PPG Canalside

The young Terriers completely dominated the first-half and were deservedly three goals to the good at the interval through Flo Bojaj, Philip Billing and Rekeil Pyke, before Jacob Hanson (pictured above) added the fourth in the final moments of the game.

With goalkeeper Lloyd Allinson the only overage player in Frankie Bunn’s line-up, the Terriers set about taking the game to the visitors from Essex from the first whistle – and it took only 12 minutes to break the deadlock. Even before that point Bojaj, Sondre Tronstad and Pyke had all tried their luck at goal.

The opening goal came through some enterprising play from Ronan Coughlan. Playing at the tip of the midfield diamond, the Irishman played striker Pyke through on goal and when his shot was saved by Colchester ‘keeper Chris Lewington, the rebound was eventually tucked home by strike partner Bojaj.

Duane Holmes was an impressively dynamic figure in midfield and he tested Lewington on several occasions with powerful drives from range, one of which led to the second goal in the 28th minute. Duane’s shot forced a corner and when he picked up the half-cleared delivery, he prodded it to Danish midfielder Billing – who carefully placed the ball inside the far post from 18 yards out.

The third goal came just a couple of minutes later. Bojaj won the ball back high up the pitch and slipped it through to powerful second year scholar Pyke, who finished past the goalkeeper with aplomb.

Pyke still had time to miss a sitter from a corner before the interval, blasting wide when only a few yards out.

Colchester were slightly improved in the second half, but Town should have scored two more within the first 15 minutes. Both chances fell to Pyke again, but on these occasions he couldn’t capitalise; firing wide on the rebound after Bojaj had a shot saved before having a one-on-one effort saved from Bojaj’s through pass.

The visitors finally forced Allinson into action on the hour mark, with Lloyd pushing a decent long range drive from Louis Dunne around his right-hand post. 

The game started to peter out in the latter stages as Colchester enjoyed a decent spell of possession, but the best they could muster was an 88th minute volley from Jack Curtis that flew comfortably over the target.

Instead, Town completed the scoring with the final meaningful attack of the game in the third minute of added time. Right back Jacob Hanson, another second year Academy scholar, had been excellent all game and he beat two men on his way into the penalty area from the right flank before sliding the ball expertly under the goalkeeper for a well-deserved goal.

Lloyd Allinson; Jack Senior, Fraser Horsfall, Joe Wilkinson (c), Jacob Hanson; Philip Billing, Duane Holmes (Regan Booty, 66), Sondre Tronstad, Ronan Coughlan (Jack Boyle, 70); Flo Bojaj, Rekeil Pyke (Liam Coogans, 79)

Ed Wilczynski, Danny Kane