U23s: Burnley 2-1 Aston Villa

Aston Villa suffered a 2-1 defeat at Burnley in their penultimate Premier League 2 fixture of the campaign on Monday night.

The Young Lions took a 10^th-minute lead at the County Ground courtesy of Travis Patterson, only for Dara Costelloe to level for the hosts shortly afterwards.

Villa created second-half chances to add a second but it was the Clarets who claimed the spoils courtesy of Dan Sassi’s 59^th-minute header.

Tenth-placed Villa, who were searching for back-to-back wins having triumphed at Sunderland last time out, remain on 32 points in Division Two.

They finish their 2021/22 season at home to Newcastle United at Villa Park next Monday (ko 12.30pm). You can secure your seats here.

Frankie Ealing was alert to clear off the goal-line from the lively Max Thompson early on.

And it was Villa, having triumphed 4-1 in the reverse fixture earlier this season, who opened the scoring early on, breaking the deadlock courtesy of youngster Patterson.

Oliwier Zych saved from Anthony Gomez Mancini before the Clarets quickly levelled, Costelloe sweeping home from a flicked free-kick.

Burnley continued to press forward, creating the greater number of first-half openings, and Zych saved from Ne-Jai Tucker before defender Finn Armstrong hit a post shortly before half-time.

Villa started the second half on the front foot and created three good openings.

After Zych saved smartly from Thompson, Chisom Afoka forced Clarets goalkeeper Lukas Jensen into a fine save before Indiana Vassilev was thwarted by Richard Nartey’s block and Afoka then fired over the crossbar.

The hosts then took the lead shortly afterwards, defender Sassi rising highest to meet Owen Dodgson’s corner and head past Zych.

Opportunities continued to come at either end, Vassilev again testing Jensen before Zych kept out Ben Woods’ strike.

Brad Young came close to snatching a share of the spoils in the closing stages but his effort was kept out by Clarets keeper Jensen and Villa were left to taste defeat.