Our Under-21s suffered a 2-0 Yorkshire derby defeat to Huddersfield Town on Monday afternoon at Thorp Arch.

First-half goals from Rekeil Pyke and Regan Booty secured a ninth straight victory for the visitors who sit top of the Professional Development League 2 Northern table.

United fielded a team largely consisting of U21s regulars, while first-team squad members Lee Erwin and Kalvin Phillips were also handed starts.

It was Erwin, fresh from scoring in Friday's friendly victory at Wycombe, who had the game's first sight of goal, drilling into the side-netting after being slotted through by Luke Parkin.

But Huddersfield were able to open the scoring just 14 minutes in as Pyke rose highest inside the area to tower a header beyond Bailey Peacock-Farrell.

The young United goalkeeper, a late substitute in the 2-0 win at Adams Park, then denied the visitors a quick-fire second three minutes later, acrobatically tipping Ronan Coughlan's deflected free-kick over the bar with a superb, one-handed save.

Huddersfield were dominating and grabbed their second of the afternoon on 28 minutes, with Booty's free-kick from deep evading everyone inside the area as it found its way in at the far post.

At the opposite end, Town goalkeeper Lloyd Allinson was called upon to clutch Erwin's goalbound header on the line before palming away Eoghan Stokes' low strike as Paul Hart's side looked to mount a response.

The second half saw major improvements from the United youngsters and Lewis Walters and Erwin both threatened with efforts in the first 10 minutes after the restart.

Phillips thought he had won his side a penalty on the hour mark after going down under the challenge of the onrushing Allinson, but referee Christopher Akers opted to show the midfielder a yellow card.

Leeds were seeing more of the ball in the second period but Peacock-Farrell still needed to be alert to block a low strike at his near post.

Parkin then fired wide after a neat turn on the edge of the area and Walters saw his looping header cleared off the line, but this was looking increasingly like it wasn't to be United's afternoon.

And that became clear when Erwin slammed the base of the post with nine minutes remaining on the clock.

Walters and Phillips also came close in the final stages, but Huddersfield could have added a third late on as Booty rattled the near post after racing through on goal.

Hart said: "I was disappointed with the performance in the first half, but I don't think I could argue with the second-half performance.

"But you can't turn up at half-time and expect to win a football match. It was definitely lost in the first half and we should have had three or four in the second."

Under-21s team: Peacock-Farrell, Purver, Vann, Skelton, Denton (c), Phillips, Lyman (Wilks 65), Stokes, Walters, Erwin, Parkin. Subs not used: Huffer, Pearce, Downing, Oduor.