By Dan Harrison

Villa were crowned undisputed kings of the Barclays FA Premier Reserve League as Nathan Delfouneso, James Collins and Shane Lowry fired them to play-off glory.

Kevin MacDonald's men avenged their defeat by Liverpool at this stage last season with a battling display against northern champions Sunderland.

A large Villa Park crowd were on their feet after 28 minutes when Delfouneso thumped home Jonathan Hogg's lay-off from the edge of the box via a deflection.

But the lead lasted barely three minutes as Elliot Parish couldn't keep out a left-foot strike from the Black Cats' star man Martyn Waghorn.

Villa took charge after the break, though, and Collins headed in a perfect Marc Albrighton cross just minutes after coming on as a substitute.

The celebrations began three minutes from time when Lowry converted from close range to ensure victory for the home team.

---

FT - There it is! Villa's second string are national champions. Well done to Kevin MacDonald and the boys! The chant of "Hi Ho Aston Villa" goes up around the ground. Party time.

90mins: One minute of stoppage time will be played.

89mins: Albrighton tees up Hogg for a blockbuster but his shot from the edge of the area is just a bit high. Another wonder strike would have been the icing on the cake. But it looks like Villa are going to lift the trophy anyway!

88mins: SUBSTITUTION - Barry Bannan comes off to a magnificent applause. He is replaced by Gary Gardner.

87mins: GOAL - It looks like celebration time. Shane Lowry has made it three. Herd flicks on Albrighton's cross and Lowry stabs home.

86mins: SUBSTITUTION - Villa follow suit. Dominik Hofbauer is replaced by Chris Herd.

85mins: SUBSTITTUION - Another change for Sunderland. Jamie Chandler on for Jordan Cook.

84mins: M'voto heads wide from the resulting corner. Good spell for Sunderland.

83mins: Cook's corner drops to Colback on the edge of the area. He volleys towards goal and it deflects for a corner. A crucial block in there.

81mins: Less than 10 minutes to go now! Villa are a step closer to avenging that 3-0 defeat at Anfield at this stage last season.

78mins: What an impact Collins has had on this game. He is inches away from making it 3-1. He twists and turns on the edge of the box before firing across the face of goal. It trickles past the far post. So close again.

77mins: Great strike from Bannan. His low 30-yard drive is pushed behind for a corner by Colgan. The resulting corner bobbles around in the Black Cats' box but a foul is given against Collins.

75mins: SUBSTITUTION - Dan Madden replaces Robbie Weir for Sunderland.  

73mins: Villa are pushing for that third goal, although Sunderland are remaining strong.   

67mins: Jordan Cook's shot is brilliantly pushed away by Elliot Parish. Great save from the Villa keeper.

66mins: If the first half was all about attack for Barry Bannan the second has been about defending and what a good job he's done. Two cracking challenges including one to steal possession from Jack Colback.

62mins: Good to see Villa straight back on the front foot after taking the lead, clearly learning their lesson from the first goal.

58mins: GOAL - If at first you don't succeed try, try again. Marc Albrighton's first cross is cleared but his second one is straight on the head of supersub James Collins. The young hotshot needs no invitation and heads home his third reserve goal of the season to go with the 27 he hit for the Academy. Great stuff.

54mins: It's starting to open up now. Great defensive covering header from Albrighton to cut out a searching Waghorn cross. Good to see the youngster doing his defensive duties as well as pulling the strings at the sharp end.

53mins: SUBSTITUTION - James Collins replaces Andreas Weimann for Villa.

53mins: Delfouneso is lighting up this crowd. He picks it up five yards from the edge of the box and shoots. He could have perhaps shot earlier but the Holte End were loving his work there nevertheless.

52mins: A reminder again - there is NO extra time tonight. Straight to the dreaded spot kicks if it's a draw.

51mins: Good to see one or two of the senior players here lending their support tonight. Particularly Craig Gardner, whose younger brother Gary is among the Villa substitutes.

49mins: Delfouneso works his magic again down the left, crosses towards Hogg whose header seems destined for the bottom corner but Adams does brilliantly to keep it out on the line. Agonising for Hogg!

46mins: The players are back and the second-half gets underway. There doesn't appear to be any changes.

HT - All square at the break then. Nathan Delfouneso gave Villa the lead only for Martyn Waghorn to cancel it out very quickly. Hopefully Villa will come on stronger in the second period.

43mins: We're edging towards the end of the half. Villa have probably just about shaved it but a goal before the break to restore our advantage would be just the job!  Come on boys!  

39mins: Jordan Cook returns the favour at the other end but Parish is alert and holds the shot comfortably.

38mins: A shot from nowhere from Delfouneso whistles past Colgan's post. He picks it up 35 yards out and instinctively pulls the trigger, almost catching the keeper out.

33mins: Brave goalkeeping from Nick Colgan somehow preventing Villa from regaining the lead. A wonderful cross from Albrighton is met by Ciaran Clark and Colgan makes two brilliant saves to deny the Villa skipper from close range. So close!

31mins: Bannan and Albrighton combine well again, the Scot finding his team-mate with a perfect cross field ball. Albrighton can't quite find his way past Michael Kay. 

28mins: GOAL - Sunderland respond straight away. It's Waghorn again cutting in from the right and he smashes a left-foot shot goalwards. Parish gets a hand to it but can't keep it out.

25mins: GOAL - It's The Fonz!!! Not the prettiest goal in the world but who is complaining? Jonathan Hogg touched it off to the striker on the edge of the box and Delfouneso's first time strike sailed into the top corner via a scrappy deflection off Hartley.

23mins: Hofbauer wins a free-kick to the left of the Sunderland area. Bannan swings in another peach of a ball but Peter Hartley stands tall to head clear. Real quality from Bannan so far. I've got a feeling his contribution tonight could be significant!

21mins: It's Sunderland's turn to enjoy a bright spell of possession but without creating anything too threatening. Let's hope it stays that way!

18mins: A cross is floated in by Weir and Parish can't hold on to it and it goes for a corner. Weir's delivery is dealt with.

17mins: Superb delivery from Bannan to the back post. Lichaj gets up for a header at the back post but he can't steer it towards goal. Best effort so far.

16mins: A classic Villa counter attack with Eric Lichaj sending Delfouneso clear. He races past Jean-Yves M'voto before the defender eventually recovers and wins a corner. Villa upping the tempo now.

14mins: Martyn Waghorn shows off his quick feet working in from the right towards the Villa goal. He slots a through ball towards Weir who is caught offside. 

11mins: Our mascots Hercules and Bella are strutting their stuff over in an empty Doug Ellis Stand. They get a nice round of applause for it too! 

7mins: The first bit of danger for Villa. Blair Adams plays a Sunderland free-kick from midway in the Villa half short to Robbie Wier who blasts a 35-yard effort high into the Holte End.

5mins: Another burst forward from Albrighton but his shot is deflected wide. It's all Villa so far. 

3mins: More encouraging wing play from Villa. This time Nathan Delfouneso combines with Bannan on the right. His cross is met by Dominik Hofbauer but the Austrian's header is weak.

1min: A bright start for Villa. Who could possibly be at the heart of it? You've guessed it - Marc Albrighton and Barry Bannan. Albrighton forces a corner after a sprint down the right and a dangerous cross from Bannan is headed clear.

---

6.59pm: The players are with us. Sunderland are in their change strip of dark blue shirts and black shorts. For Villa it's claret and blue all the way!

6.56pm: Only a few minutes from kick-off now! This young Villa side have done so well this season. Let's hope they flourish tonight in front of the Villa Park crowd. A quick reminder - if it's all square the match will go straight to penalties, with no extra time.

6.51pm: The atmosphere is building nicely here at Villa Park for tonight's showpiece. A sizeable crowd is gathering, with the lower parts of both the Trinity Road and Holte End.

Villa: Elliot Parish, Eric Lichaj, Shane Lowry, Jonathan Hogg, Ciaran Clark, Matthew Roome, Marc Albrighton, Barry Bannan, Andreas Wiemann, Nathan Delfouneso, Dominik Hofbauer. Substitutes: James Collins (for Andreas Weimann), David Bevan, Chris Herd (for Dominik Hofbauer), Tobias Mikaelsson, Gary Gardner (for Barry Bannan).

Sunderland: Nick Colgan, Michael Kay, Blair Adams, David Meyler, Jean-Yves M'voto, Peter Hartley, Robbie Weir, Jordan Cook, David Dowson, Jack Colback, Martyn Waghorn. Substitutes: Jamie Chandler (for Jordan Cook), Michal Misiewicz, Niall McArdle, Dan Madden (for Robbie Weir), Ryan Noble.

---

Kevin MacDonald is sticking by his young guns for tonight's play-off final against Sunderland.

A young Villa side will take on the northern section winners at Villa Park (ko 7pm), for the right to be crowned national champions.

Ciaran Clark skippers the side while Nathan Delfouneso will lead the line for Villa. Midfielder Barry Bannan also returns to the line-up after a successful loan spell at Derby County.

Join Jack Woodward and Bobby Bridgeman from 7pm for live commentary from the game.

Villa: Elliott Parish, Eric Lichaj, Shane Lowry, Jonathan Hogg, Ciaran Clark, Matthew Roome, Marc Albrighton, Barry Bannan, Andreas Wiemann, Nathan Delfouneso, Dominik Hofbauer. Substitutes: James Collins, David Bevan, Chris Herd, Tobias Mikaelsson, Gary Gardner.

Sunderland: Nick Colgan, Michael Kay, Blair Adams, David Meyler, Jean-Yves M'voto, Peter Hartley, Robbie Weir, Jordan Cook, David Dowson, Jack Colback, Martyn Waghorn. Substitutes: Jamie Chandler, Michal Misiewicz, Niall McArdle, Dan Madden, Ryan Noble.

---

By Dan Harrison

Villa's title-winning reserve side go in search of national supremacy tonight when they take on northern champions Sunderland in the Barclays Premier Reserve League final.

The clash at Villa Park presents Kevin MacDonald's team with the chance to cap an excellent season in terms of player development at the club with play-off glory.

Ask MacDonald, academy director Bryan Jones or youth coach Tony McAndrew and they will tell you winning comes second to the task of providing a production line to the first team. But over the course of the current campaign, Villa can boast the achievement of both of those goals.

The second string blazed a trail to a second consecutive Reserve League South title while several players progressed into Martin O'Neill's first team squad.

Nathan Delfouneso has made a number of cameo appearances in the Barclays Premier League, while Barry Bannan and Marc Albrighton made their first team bows in the UEFA Cup. The likes of Ciaran Clark, Chris Herd and Shane Lowry have also gained valuable experience travelling with the seniors.

However, as they prepare for the winner-takes-all clash against the Black Cats, the bigger picture will temporarily take a back seat. Villa will be desperate to go one better than last year when they suffered a 3-0 defeat to Liverpool in the final at Anfield.

They also have the opportunity to taste silverware in front of what should be a sizable home crowd.

Check out our special edition match programme on sale before tonight's game. It will be priced at £1, with 50p from each programme going to Acorns.