U18s: Aston Villa 5-3 Brighton

A breathtaking first half performance helped Aston Villa's Under-18s on their way to a thrilling 5-3 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion at Bodymoor Heath on Saturday. 

The Young Lions raced into a 4-0 lead after just 27 minutes, thanks to a brace from Dewain Sewell and a goal each for Taylor-Jay Hart and Kahrel Reddin.

Brighton pulled two goals back through Jack Hinshelwood and Bailey Smith, but Tommi O'Reilly got Villa's fifth before Marcus Ifill completed the scoring with a consolation for the visitors in stoppage time.

The home side looked sharp from the off and Hart's opener on 14 minutes was outstanding, as he curled a shot into the top corner from just outside the penalty area, leaving the Brighton goalkeeper with no chance. 

Sewell was lurking to convert O'Reilly's high back-post cross just four minutes later to make it 2-0, before Reddin capitalised on a goalkeeping error for the third. 

A wonderful team move that started with Villa 'keeper Oliwier Zych produced the fourth, with Sewell applying a clinical chipped finish for his sixth goal in just five appearances this season.

That was the end of the goalscoring until Hinshelwood and Smith both scored within two minutes to halve the deficit, but when the visitors conceded a penalty soon after, Villa had the chance to make the game safe. 

O'Reilly's 82nd minute spot-kick was saved by Hugo Fisher, but the Irish midfielder steadied himself to lash home the rebound to make it 5-3. 

Villa are the highest scorers in U18 Premier League with 23 goals scored in just six games, and they will look to make it back-to-back wins when Liverpool come to Bodymoor Heath in just under two weeks.