BURNLEY Academy manager Jon Pepper hailed Steven Defour's attitude and love for the game after his two appearances for the Under-23s.

Defour rounded off his mini pre-season on the road back to full fitness with a 90 minute run out for the development squad in their 3-2 win over Crewe Alexandra at Curzon Ashton's Tameside Stadium.

The midfielder began his return to action at the same venue two weeks earlier, playing an hour against Bolton Wanderers, while he started in the Carabao Cup defeat to Burton Albion in between those games.

Pepper, who is in temporary charge of Burnley Under-23s following Michael Duff's departure, has been delighted with Defour's application in the games.

The 30-year-old might have won 52 caps for Belgium and played in the Champions League during his glittering career, but he got stuck in for Pepper's side and was a vocal presence in the win over Crewe, demanding the ball and encouraging the youngsters around him.

"It’s good for us to have that experience and that level of class within the team," Pepper said of Defour's recent contributions to the Under-23s.

"He makes the game look so simple and he’s got a lot of energy, it would nice to have someone like that every week.

"His attitude has been no different to what I assume it is when he’s in the first team playing a Premier League game, he comes in, he wants to apply himself well, he’s got a good attitude, good application and he seems to love the game."

Defour was a shining light for the Under-23s on Monday but it was striker Dan Agyei who scored twice, taking his tally to six for the season.

Agyei, 21, steered Anthony Glennon's cross home with his head before getting his second with a fine solo effort, which Pepper felt showed a glimpse of what the striker, who has had loan spells with Coventry City, Walsall and Blackpool, can do.

"He looks a threat, he can be a threat. He’s been in those positions quite a few times in recent weeks," Pepper said.

"It was good he scored from the cross, we did a bit of crossing and finishing on Sunday and it was a carbon copy of what he did in training.

"The one where he has cut inside and finished it is what Dan can do."