U23s: West Brom 2-1 Aston Villa

Aston Villa's Under-23s fell to a 2-1 defeat against West Bromwich Albion in Premier League 2 on Monday night. 

Mark Delaney's side fell behind to a quick-fire double from Rayhaan Tulloch and Kenneth Zohore, before Cameron Archer pulled a goal back just before half-time.

Villa pressed for an equaliser in the second half with Brad Young and Louie Barry going close, but the home side held on to take all three points.

Barry had the first chance of the game when he curled inches wide of the post inside the first minute but from that moment, it was a disjointed first half of football with both sides struggling to keep possession. 

Hayden Lindley and Viljami Sinisalo did well to jointly smother an effort from Zohore after 10 minutes, before the 27-year-old striker fired just wide of the near post moments later.

Following a scrappy period of play, Jaden Barber did brilliantly to create an opening by flicking the ball over the head of his marker and putting in a cross, but Barry couldn't convert at the far post. 

The hosts took advantage with their next attack, as Tulloch poked home to give West Brom the lead, before Zohore made it two with a powerful finish just a minute later.

Villa were handed a route back into the game just a minute before the end of the half, as Archer finished beautifully past Ted Cann following a ball over the top. 

Arjan Raikhy had plenty of touches in the middle of the park and he set Young free just before the hour-mark, but the striker couldn't take it in his stride and his eventual shot went wide of the post. 

It was Villa's best spell of the game and another opportunity followed on 62 minutes, with Barry creating a yard of space by nutmegging his marker before his curling effort was palmed away, with Cann doing well to hold the ball as Archer looked for a potential rebound. 

The visitors struggled to create anything clear cut in their search for an equaliser before the 87th minute, when substitute Tyreik Wright's rising drive clipped the top of the crossbar. 

Archer produced a neat turn moments later to create an opportunity for himself but his left-footed strike from a tight angle was saved and held by the West Brom goalkeeper. 

A final chance almost presented itself in the second minute of stoppage time, but after Wright hooked an effort towards goal, the flag went up for offside. 

Villa's attention will now turn to the visit of Reading next Monday.