ELLIOT Lee can hit the goal trail during his loan spell with Colchester United.

That is the view of respected West Ham United academy legend Tony Carr, who has high hopes for the young striker.

Lee, 18, has impressed in the two games he has started for the U’s in League One, after joining them on loan from the Hammers last month.

And Carr, who has overseen the development of the likes of Joe Cole, Frank Lampard and Rio Ferdinand during a hugely productive four decades coaching West Ham’s youngsters, believes the teenage forward can score goals during his time with the U’s.

Carr said: “Elliot’s a goalscorer and I think that he can do very well.

“He can hold the ball up and bring other players in. And through his youth years and in the under-21s, he’s always been a prolific goalscorer.

“He combines both elements well and I think it’ll only be a matter of time before he gets his first Colchester goal.

“As a striker, we want him: one to feel comfortable at that level and two, to score goals.

“Elliot has a great appetite for the game and he’s not selfish, like some strikers can be.

“It’s a difficult one to predict how far any young player can go.

“But all you can do is give boys the opportunities.

“Elliot’s had a taste of first-team football at West Ham and the next step was for him to get first-team football at Colchester.

“I think the main difference between League One and under-21 football is that League One is more physical.

“You’re playing against men and the result is everything.”

Colchester have enjoyed a productive relationship with West Ham over recent years.

Lee follows in the footsteps of the likes of Dan Potts, Josh Payne and Freddie Sears, whose loan was made permanent, after being loaned to the U’s from the Premier League club.

“We have a good relationship with Colchester and I know Joe Dunne very well,” added Carr, who is the Director of Youth Academy at West Ham.

“It’s good that our training ground is in Romford and Colchester’s is in Tiptree, so they’re relatively close.

“It’s not too far for us to come to their games and watch our players if they’re on loan and we’ll always try to have a presence at every game Elliot plays in.”