U18s: Arsenal 5-2 Aston Villa

Aston Villa fell to a 5-2 defeat at Arsenal in their penultimate Under-18 Premier League South match of the season.

The Young Lions found themselves 2-0 down at the break but levelled matters shortly after the restart through Tommi O’Reilly and Tristan Abldeen-Goodridge.

However, the Gunners soon restored their advantage before two goals in as many minutes late on inflicted defeat on a youthful Villa side.

It leaves Villa seventh in the table ahead of the final match of their league campaign against Norwich City at Bodymoor Heath on Tuesday.

Nathan Butler-Oyedeji fired the hosts ahead with an early penalty after just seven minutes.

And it was Arsenal who doubled their advantage, again from the spot, just after the half-hour mark, Joel Ideho this time sending Filip Marschall the wrong way.

But battling Villa reduced the arrears in the 50^th minute after some neat play in the middle of the park found Abldeen-Goodridge and he sent clear O’Reilly, who lifted cleverly over Gunners substitute goalkeeper Remy Mitchell.

And Villa were level on the hour courtesy of another fine move. Hayden Lindley dinked a well-worked free-kick over the Arsenal wall for O’Reilly, whose shot rebounded off the near post and Abldeen-Goodridge was on hand to convert the rebound.

Yet the hosts were back in front within six minutes as sub Amario Cozier-Duberry slotted home from eight yards.

Villa were then undone by two late goals from Ideho and Amani Richards in the closing stages as they tasted defeat.