U18s: West Ham United 5-2 Aston Villa

Aston Villa were beaten by West Ham United in the Under-18 Premier League on Saturday.

The hosts were three goals ahead after 41 minutes thanks to Jemiah Umolu’s opener and a Joshua Ajala brace.

Luka Lynch pulled one back in first half stoppage time before Favour Fawunmi added a fourth for the Hammers.

Abube Onuchukwu got on the scoresheet in the closing minutes for Villa before Daniel Rigge completed the scoring with a stoppage time penalty for the home side.

The Young Lions journeyed to east London looking to build upon two wins in their first three league games but they found themselves behind after 18 minutes.

After a sustained spell of pressure, Umolu rolled a Villa defender on the edge of the box and struck a first-time shot into the bottom corner.

The visitors gifted the Hammers a second on 32 minutes when goalkeeper Sam Proctor’s pass was cut-out by Ajala, who took the ball round him before firing into the roof of the net.

West Ham’s striker made it 3-0 nine minutes later as the hosts incisively cut through before Ajala’s shot squeezed past Proctor.

Villa had hope late in first half stoppage time when Lynch netted his second in as many games, capping off a move that started in their own penalty area with a precise finish.

A defensive mix-up allowed the Hammers to regain their three-goal advantage after 67 minutes as Fawumni netted from close-range after his teammate won the ball back on the edge of the box before sliding it into his path.

Substitute Onuchukwu pulled one back with three minutes to play when he got on the end of a cross and picked out the bottom corner from the edge of the box.

But a disappointing day for the Villans was rounded off in stoppage time when Rigge buried a penalty.