By Dan Harrison at the Amex Stadium
A stunning free-kick from Carl Forster-Caskey condemned Villa to a disappointing FA Youth Cup third round exit against Brighton.
It was a night of missed opportunities for Tony McAndrew's fledgling side, who failed to capitalise on a series of bright openings before being stunned by a moment of brilliance from the home side.
Forster-Caskey left goalkeeper Calum Barrett with no chance when he drilled his effort in to the roof of the net on 58 minutes with Brighton's first meaningful attack.
The claret and blues named a starting XI featuring four players with past experience of this prestigious domestic cup competition.
Two of the stars of last season's run to the semi-finals, Graham Burke and Callum Robinson, were instrumental in a bright first-half which Villa controlled but failed to make the most of several scoring chances.
Given license to drop in to midfield to receive possession, Burke made two storming runs before missing the target from long range.
And the Dublin-born striker will have been disappointed to see his angled left-foot drive sail the wrong side of the post five minutes before the break, after a neat lay-off from Robinson.
Robinson also threatened without really testing Brighton keeper Oliver Wray.
Tricky wideman Jack Grealish fed Robinson with an incisive pass between the two centre-backs but, after cutting back on to his right foot, the England U16 forward curled his shot well wide of the far post.
There was another close call for Robinson after the break in a move that was symptomatic of Villa's overall performance.
Joshua Webb motored on to Grealish's majestic back-heel but Robinson, arriving at full stretch, was unable to turn in the left-back's cross.
Five minutes later, Forster-Caskey struck the punishing blow, clipping a left-foot free-kick over the wall and in to the net off the underside of the bar.
Coach McAndrew went for the jugular by throwing on Michael Drennan, Darious Darkin and Juan Serrano in an attempt to restore parity.
Drennan came close to equalising with his first touch, only for Wray to tip over his first-time 18-yard drive.
The visitors finally had the ball in the net two minutes from time when Bradley Lewis tapped in from close range but the defender was offside.
BRIGHTON: Wray, MacFarlane, Hunt, Vickers, Cooper, Barry, Cumming-Bart, Forster-Caskey, Goodwin, Tuck, Levy. Subs: Colquhoun, Rea, Peake [for Tuck, 80], Cousins, Gray.
VILLA: Barrett, Webb, Donacien, Lewis, Bateman, Graham, Melvin, Ward, Grealish, Burke, Robinson. Subs: Drennan [for Ward, 67], Watkins, Bryan, Juan Serrano [for Bateman, 84], Darkin [for Melvin, 78].
