U21s: Aston Villa 6-4 Sunderland

Aston Villa recorded a thrilling 6-4 victory over Sunderland after a pulsating Premier League 2 encounter on Friday night.

Kadan Young was involved in four of Villa’s goals at Bodymoor Heath, also striking the underside of the crossbar, as the Young Lions got back to winning ways in style.

Captain Seb Revan’s penalty and Young’s smart finish handed Villa an early 2-0 lead, before Caden Kelly gave the visitors hope just after the half-hour mark.

But goals either side of half-time from Arjan Raikhy, a well-taken free-kick, and substitute Rory Wilson established a 4-1 advantage.

Omari Kellyman added a fifth in the 54^th minute, only for Kelly to grab his second of the evening for the Black Cats.

Wilson secured a brace of his own to make it 6-2 just after the hour, before Tom Watson and Harry Gardiner wrapped up the scoring for the visitors late on.

The 10-goal thriller ensured Villa’s Under-21s bounced back immediately after defeat at Elland Road on Monday ended a five-match winning run in the league.

The Young Lions triumphed 4-0 over the Black Cats in August’s reverse fixture, recording their first win of the season.

And it was Villa who started on the front foot this time around, duly taking a 12^th-minute lead courtesy of Revan’s spot-kick after a surging Young was upended in the penalty area.

Young then got in on the act himself just three minutes later, latching on to a throughball from Kellyman to slot beyond Black Cats goalkeeper Adam Richardson.

Chisom Afoka hit the side-netting, Young’s powerful strike was pushed against the underside of the crossbar by Richardson and Sil Swinkels saw his effort cleared off the line as Villa pressed for further reward midway through the first period.

But the visitors got themselves back into the game with their first attempt on target in the 34^th minute, Kelly slotting home Watson’s cross.

Gardiner spurned a good opportunity to level matters, before Villa were forced into a change in the 39^th minute, Todd Alcock hobbling off to be replaced by Wilson.

And the Young Lions restored their two-goal advantage just before half-time.

Young’s driving run was halted with a foul on the edge of the area, and Raikhy stepped up to coolly convert a low free-kick around the wall and into the bottom corner, leaving Richardson stranded.  

Villa added a fourth two minutes after the restart, Young sending Revan’s deep free-kick back across goal and sub Wilson tapping home from close range.

Josh Feeney produced a superb last-gasp challenge to prevent Sunderland being handed an immediate lifeline, before Wilson sent a long-range effort narrowly over the crossbar.

And it was 5-1 in the 54^th minute as Kellyman curled home a delightful finish from the edge of the penalty area.

Kelly scored his second of the game shortly afterwards to give the Black Cats hope of a fightback.

But Wilson wasted little time bagging his own brace with a smart finish to restore Villa’s four-goal advantage.

Watson’s low drive made it 6-3 before Gardiner bagged a fourth for Sunderland in the 85^th minute to set up a frantic finale.

But Villa’s Young Lions held firm to claim the spoils from a thoroughly entertaining encounter.