Rotherham United Reserves opened their Central League Cup campaign with a 5-1 defeat against Huddersfield Town at The Millers Oils High Performance Complex.
A hat-trick from Hazeem Bakre inspired the Terriers to victory, with further goals from Stephan Padrao and Mustapha Olagunju adding gloss to the scoreline, after the Millers had pulled a goal back through Joel Holvey.
With the first team using the international break as an opportunity to spend some time away from Roundwood, a young Millers side took to the field in West Yorkshire, with first year pros Nathaniel Ford, Hamish Douglas, Holvey and Josh Ayres included in a squad made up of first and second year scholars.
The first chance of note fell the way of the home side with 12 minutes on the clock, when Padrao’s nice touch into Iorpenda allowed the midfielder to advance before releasing Philpott on the edge of the box, but he could only direct his left footed drive over the crossbar.
Six minutes later, it was the Millers who would go close. Ben Hatton broke free on the flank and played an excellent cross towards the near post towards Josh Ayres who could only head his effort wide of the target after stretching for the ball.
Town hit back and had a huge chance to take the lead on 27 minutes when Eccleston jinked past the Millers defence before forcing Ford into a save. The rebound fell kindly to Daley, but he wasn’t able to capitalise.
The Terriers were ahead six minutes later when Iorpenda won the ball back high up field and found Bakre who saw his shot deflected into path of Padrao, who made no mistake from close range.
The home side continued to press and after Adewoju could only head over from Philpott’s corner moments before they double their lead on 38 minutes. Cesay won a corner on the right flank which was delivered again by Philpott and this time Bakre was able to get on the end of Iorpenda’s clever flick to fire home from close range.
HALF TIME | HUDDERSFIELD TOWN 2 V 0 RESERVES
The home side edged themselves further in front four minutes into the second half. Padrao saw his initial cross from the left just evade the run of Bakre, but the ball fell for Eccleston, who cleverly returned it across the middle for forward to notch his second of the game.
The young Millers team didn’t give up and found themselves back in the game through Holvey on 57 minutes after a spell of pressure in the Town half.
Five minutes later, Bakre completed his hat-trick when he was released by a ball over the top from Olagunju before rounding Ford and tapping home into an empty net to make it 4-1.
Iorpenda was proving to be a real thorn in the Millers’ side and he was at the heart of another Terriers attack when he released Mrisho down the left flank with an incisive through pass. He pulled the ball back for the arriving Bright who clipped a first-time effort over the bar on 74 minutes.
Town’s pressure would count again two minutes later, when Olagunju produced an excellent finish to add a fifth for Huddersfield. The centre back collected the ball inside the box after Ford’s punch was only cleared as far as him and he steadied himself before bending an effort into the far corner.
The youngsters didn’t throw in the towel and forced Bellagambi into an outstanding save when Douglas met a cross with a powerful header, which forced the keeper to tip the ball over the crossbar.
FULL TIME | HUDDERSFIELD TOWN 5 V 1 RESERVES
RESERVES | Ford, Shepherd, Mare, Seisay, Douglas (C), Grove, Abraham, Roddis, Hatton, Ayres, Holvey.
SUBS | Hamilton, Wilson, Hibbard, Giwa, Paisley.