by Kev Monks

STRIKER Donovan Simmonds grabbed a brace as Coventry City's reserves saw of their Huddersfield Town counterparts 3-0 at the Galpharm Stadium.

Simmonds hit his sixth and seventh goals of the Pontin's Holidays League season while youngster Aaron Griffiths was also on target as Steve Ogrizovic's men claimed their first win of 2008.

A cluster of first-team stars were handed the chance to impress in Yorkshire, with Dutch star Ellery Cairo featuring out on the right-wing and Kevin Thornton starting in his favoured position at the centre of midfield.

The Sky Blues on show were watched by Iain Dowie and Frankie Bunn and should have been ahead in the third minute.

Cairo won the corner which saw Callum Burgess power a header over from a Thornton flag-kick.

Three more corners followed as City, playing in red, started to camp themselves in the Huddersfield half.

When the home side did attack, they were restricted to one corner and a James Berrett long-ranger which Danny Ireland was down smartish to smother.

In the 26th minute, City were ahead thanks to a superb nutmeg by Cairo to play the ball to Wayne Andrews on the right. The striker slipped the ball into the six yard box and Simmonds got on the end to fire the ball home.

Another nutmeg by Cairo set up Andrews two minutes later but this time the shot went across the face of the goal.

As the bright sun dipped over the away stand and the biting wind started to take effect, the trickery of Cairo continued to cause problems until just before the break when Leon Quarless forced Ireland into a point blank save and then steered the loose ball onto the bar and away to safety.

Terriers boss John Dungworth changed his strikers at half-time and in the 56th minute, Ogrizovic made his first change bringing on youngster Andrew Ritchie.

City lived life dangerously with the ball twice going across the face of the goal, but on the hour an Andrews header from a free-kick was pushed away by home keeper Alex Smithies.

But he was helpless to prevent the Sky Blues extending their lead four minutes later as Cairo set Andrews free down the left and his cross was met by a flick header from Simmonds which went over the keeper and into the net.

With three minutes to go, a fine win was wrapped up with an equally fine goal to match.

Substitute Kieran Fitzharris sent trialist Griffiths free down the middle and a ran more than 30 yards before finishing with a superb drive that flew into the net form the edge of the area.

Huddersfield: Smithies, Hardy, Jackson, Bailey, Clarke, Killock, Racchi, Young, Booth (Broadbent, 46), Berrett (Codman, 46), Quarless. Subs (Not Used): Eastwood, Roberts, Pickering.

Goals: None

Coventry City: Ireland, Jones (Fitzharris, 65), Burgess, Francis, Griffiths, Cairo, Hildreth, Thornton, D Marshall (Ritchie, 56), Simmonds, Andrews. Subs: Walker, Collett (GK), Cain.

Goals: Simmonds (26, 69), Griffiths (87)

Meanwhile, the venue for City's next reserve game against Leicester has been switched for a second time.

The clash was moved to the Ricoh Arena last week but will now take place at Hinckley United's Marston's Stadium next Tuesday, February 5, kick-off 2pm.