JOEL Cooper's double proved in vain as Oxford United Under 21s were edged out by Huddersfield Town in a seven-goal Premier League Cup thriller.

The U's went 4-1 down three minutes into the second half, but did not give up and almost produced an incredible comeback.

Cooper scored his second of the evening with less than 20 minutes left, before Josh Johnson made it 4-3 to set up an exciting finale.

United poured forward in search of an equaliser, but just fell short and bowed out of the competition.

Cooper and Johnson were not the only players boasting first-team experience in the starting line-up, with Leon Chambers-Parillon, Michael Elechi and Derick Osei among those also involved from kick-off.

The visitors were quickly in charge, going 2-0 up through captain Ben Jackson and Daniel Sinani inside 12 minutes.

The former opened the scoring on the rebound after Brahima Diarraa hit the crossbar, before his teammate doubled the lead from distance.

But Cooper excellently halved the deficit after 18 minutes, cutting inside to curl past goalkeeper Nicholas Bilokapic.

Nasim Kherbouche cleared Chambers-Parillon's chip off the line and Adam Smith fired wide, only for Kian Harratt to restore the two-goal lead shortly before the break.

Gatlin O'Donkor was introduced at half-time to try to get the U's back in the game, but they only went a further goal behind when Jackson bent a free-kick around the wall and in off the post.

Cooper matched his opponent by doing the same to make it 4-2 and Johnson's strike with ten minutes left moved United to within one goal.

Huddersfield hit the bar as the hosts threw everything forward late on, but it is the Terriers who will face Birmingham City, Newcastle United and Watford in the group stages.