BURNLEY U23’s eased to a 4-0 victory over Colchester United at the Tameside Stadium in the Premier League Cup thanks to a fine hat-trick from first-team striker Nakhi Wells, writes Joshua Bunting.

It was the Clarets who took the lead on seven minutes as Colchester failed to clear a corner before Wells lashed his effort home from point blank range leaving visiting goalkeeper Daniel Wilks a spectator.

The Clarets had another good opening to double their lead on 16 minutes as Oliver Younger played in a superb cross for Wells, but he was denied by some fine defending by Callum Sturgess.

However, Colchester were nearly back on level terms a minute later as Burnley keeper Aidan Stone miscued his clearance and the ball bounced off Eoin McKeown before Harry Flowers cleared the danger.

Burnley were forced into the first change of the game soon after as Flowers, the Clarets hero a few moments ago, was replaced by James Clarke due to injury.

McKeown should have levelled the affair midway through the half as he was played through by Charley Edge, but he was denied by a fine reaction save by Stone low to his right tipping the ball away from the danger zone.

Burnley doubled their lead on 38 minutes as Clarke played a diagonal ball into Ali Koiki before his low cross found the unmarked Wells at the back post and he fired in his second of the game to give the Clarets a comfortable lead.

On the stroke of the break it was three as a fine bit of link-up play between Mark Howarth and Rahis Nabi saw Tinashe Chakwana lash his effort into the net past the despairing dive of Wilks.

Colchester could have pulled a goal back immediately as Tarryn Allarakhia fired just over the top after William Wright's free-kick rebounded off the wall.

In added time at the end of the half the Clarets were awarded a penalty as Wright brought down Wells, earning a red card in the process.

Wells stepped up and the £5million man slotted the ball straight down the middle to complete his hat-trick.

It was the home side who started the second half on top as they created yet another good opening on 53 minutes as Tunde Bayode skipped his way around the Colchester defence before his effort hit the side netting from close range.

Stone then kept his clean sheet intact on 61 minutes as he made a fine save to keep out Diaz Wright as he latched onto the end of an Edge corner.

It was wave after wave of attack for Burnley and they could have had a fifth as Bayode cut inside before his effort sailed inches wide of the upright.

It was then the turn of the woodwork to deny the Clarets as Wells latched onto a Dwight McNeil through ball before he lashed his effort off the crossbar when Wilks was beaten all ends up.

As Colchester began to tire Burnley were once again inches away from adding yet another goal as Chakwana crossed low, with the ball beating Wilks only for Wells to flick it just wide of the post when he really should have scored in the final action of the game.

In the final minute the Clarets created another good opening as Chakwna skipped round a couple of challenges before he overhit his cross to Wells allowing the side wearing all Green to clear the danger.