Aston Villa continued their perfect start to the Premier League 2 season with victory against Middlesbrough on Friday night.
Cameron Archer got the visitors off to the perfect start with a goal after seven minutes.
Aaron Ramsey scored a brilliant free-kick to double the lead before Isaac Fletcher pulled one back before half-time.
Despite the hosts pushing for a leveller, Villa held firm to make it two league wins from two to start the season.
Having scored five against Nottingham Forest in their opening game of the season, it didn’t take the Young Lions long to find the net on Teeside.
Archer, who netted in that win, fired Villa ahead with only seven minutes on the clock.
Captain Ramsey was another player who scored against Forest, and he doubled his tally for the season with a stunning long-range free-kick just after the half hour mark.
Possession
51%Shots
7Shots On Target
4Corners
6Fouls
132
0
Cards
4
0
Middlesbrough hit back almost immediately when Fletcher headed home unmarked on 34 minutes.
Mark Delaney’s team held their lead until the half, and he opted to introduce new signing Caleb Chukwuemeka shortly after the interval.
Boro, who lost their opening game of the season, upped the ante in a bid to find an equaliser and applied pressure to Filip Marschall’s goal.
Middlesbrough U23: Metcalfe (Bulmer 68'), Kokolo, Wood, Sykes, Hannah, Malley (Dijksteel 80'), Hackney, Fletcher, Sivi (Willis 66'), Gibson, Balde Almanzar
Subs: Willis, Dijksteel, Cornet, Bulmer, Wells
Aston Villa U23: Marschall, Bogarde, Zito, Swinkels, Patterson, Iroegbunam (Chukwuemeka 51'), Aaron Ramsey, Abldeen-Goodridge, Trialist (Tommi O'Reilly 80'), Lindley, Archer (Reddin 66')
Subs: Chukwuemeka, Tommi O'Reilly, Zych, Reddin
