Aston Villa Under-21s were denied victory by a 95th-minute equaliser in their Premier League Cup opener against Brighton and Hove Albion on Friday night.
A cagey first half ended goalless thanks to a fine save from Filip Marshall at one end while Tommi O’Reilly missed the Young Lions’ best chance at the other.
The deadlock was broken less than two minutes after the break when Kerr Smith poked home from close-range, setting the tone for a pulsating second half.
Frankie Ealing doubled the away side’s advantage before Benicio Baker-Boaitey quickly hit back with a vicious drive.
Villa came under pressure late on and their resistance was finally broken when Marcus Ifill headed home in stoppage time.
After being paired alongside the Seagulls, Hull City and Swansea City in Group A, Villa began their cup campaign on the south coast.
Brighton monopolised possession in the early stages but struggled to pick passes through the well-drilled visitors’ shape.
It took just over 20 minutes for the first chance of note, and when it arrived, Marschall denied the hosts with a superb flying save from Jack Hinchy’s rising drive.
Josh Duffus fired an effort into the side-netting shortly after as the home side threatened to take control of the game before Villa rallied.
A golden opportunity presented itself to O’Reilly when the ball broke to him at the back post following a corner, but the playmaker saw his shot bounce wide.
Omari Kellyman’s header from Teddy Rowe’s corner was parried by Reid and Smith reacted quickest to poke the ball home from close-range.
Bouyed by grabbing the opener, the Young Lions took charge of the contest and doubled their lead after 56 minutes when Ealing, marauding forward from left-back, cut inside and fired a low right-footed shot past Reid at his near post.
However, Villa’s joy was short-lived as Brighton quickly reduced the deficit via a rasping drive from Baker-Boaitey, who let fly from outside the box.
In stark contrast to a low key first half, play was flowing from end-to-end as both sides went in search of further goals before Brighton applied sustained pressure in the final ten minutes.
Their search for a late leveller was met by strong resistance, thanks to a couple of fine saves from Marschall, before they finally found a way through five minutes into stoppage time.
Susbtitutes Ifill and Brody Peart combined as the former headed in the latter’s looping cross at the back post to earn a point for his side.
Aston Villa: Marschall, Ealing, Feeney, Smith, Triston Rowe, Barnes, Teddy Rowe, Patterson, Kellyman, T.O'Reilly, Richards.
Subs: Proctor, A.O'Reilly, Pierre, Alcock, Moore.
