U21s: Nottingham Forest 4-3 Aston Villa

Aston Villa face an anxious wait to see if they have secured a Premier League 2 play-off spot after an agonising 4-3 defeat to Nottingham Forest at Meadow Lane.

The Young Lions twice took the lead in a seven-goal thriller, substitute Brad Young bagging a brace while Kadan Young was also on target.

But it was The Reds who emerged with all three points courtesy of sub Alex Mighten’s 78^th-minute winner as the hosts came from behind to claim the spoils in dramatic fashion and move to the top of the table.

Defeat in the club’s final fixture of the regular season means Villa, currently in fourth place, finish their Division 2 campaign on 33 points, with the play-offs played between teams occupying second to fifth.

The Villans are level with fifth-placed West Bromwich Albion, who have two matches remaining, and three points clear of sixth-placed Norwich City, who round off their campaign on Sunday.

Villa suffered an early blow after just 10 minutes as Omari Kellyman was forced off with a head injury, replaced by Brad Young.

Both sides battled to gain an early foothold in the encounter but the game’s first clear-cut opening came with 21 minutes on the clock.

Ben Perry won possession for the hosts, surged forward into the penalty area and fed Lyle Taylor, whose shot beat Oliwier Zych before being superbly cleared off the line by Kaine Kesler Hayden.

Brad Young saw his goalbound shot well blocked after a patient passing move just before the half hour.

But from the resulting Villa corner, the hosts made the crucial breakthrough as they led a swift counter-attack which was finished courtesy of Taylor’s strike into the top corner from 12 yards.

However, the visitors were level just five minutes later following another corner, which fell for Brad Young and he turned neatly before curling a fine left-footed strike beyond Aaron Bott and into the top corner.

And it was Villa who took the lead on the stroke of half-time as Kesler Hayden fed Kadan Young and he kept his composure to slot low past Bott.

Frankie Ealing blocked well from Justin Hanks shortly atter the restart, but it was not long before The Reds were level courtesy of Josh Powell’s drilled low strike.

But, in an entertaining encounter, Villa were back in front just four minutes later as Brad Young bagged his second of the night, rounding Bott and slotting home from a tight angle despite the best efforts of a Forest defender on the goal-line.

Reds sub Mighten curled narrowly wide before Perry again drew the hosts level in the 67^th minute, side-footing into the net from the edge of the penalty area to make it 3-3.

And it was left for Mighten to volley home a winner for the home side 12 minutes from time, with the Young Lions unable to force a late leveller.