U21s: Middlesbrough 4-2 Aston Villa

Aston Villa fell to defeat in Premier League 2 on Friday evening, losing 4-2 away to Middlesbrough. 

The damage was done in the first 45 minutes at Bishop Aukland's Heritage Park, as three goals in the opening half hour gave Josep Gombau's side a mountain to climb after the break. 

Things did get better for the Young Lions in the second period - as a double for substitute Jamal Jimoh-Aloba reduced the arrears after Boro's Hazeem Bakre had completed his hat-trick to make it 4-0. 

But Villa had ultimately given themselves too much to do as they left the north east empty handed. 

Villa started in command and almost forced an own goal four minutes in when Aidan Borland’s cut-back deflected off a Boro leg and flashed across goal.

But it was the hosts who drew the first save of the encounter, Bakre calling Oli Zych into action after picking the pocket of Lamare Bogarde on the edge of the area.

Gombau’s side began turning the screw, forcing successive corners and testing Shea Connor in the Middlesbrough net. But they were again reminded of the home side’s threat 18 minutes in when Ajay Matthews took a free-kick short to the lively Charlie Lennon, who rattled the crossbar from the edge of the area.

And, come the half hour, the game had turned convincingly in Boro’s favour within the space of five minutes as they surged into a three-goal lead.

The deadlock was broken midway through the first period as Bakre was alert to charge down Zych, forcing the Villa ‘keeper to play his clearance against Bakre, the ball ricocheting into the goal.

Just two minutes later Bakre and Boro had two, as the forward raced on to a loose backpass, rounded Zych, and walked the ball into an empty net.

And things went from back to worse for Villa after a further two minutes had elapsed, when Bakre went to ground inside the penalty area and the referee pointed to the spot. Ajay Matthews made no mistake from 12 yards, sending Zych the wrong way to add a third.

Villa began the second period looking for a way back into the encounter and, within three minutes of the restart, had hit the woodwork through Kadan Young.

But the home side remained a constant threat on the break, with Bakre in the hunt for his hat-trick. Just after the hour mark he surged forward and cut inside but lashed his effort over.

The Young Lions continued to search for a way through, with substitute Jimoh-Aloba testing the goalkeeper, however they found clear-cut opportunities hard to come by throughout.

And with a little over 15 minutes to go, Bakre completed his treble. Being afforded time inside the area to pick a spot, he hammered low and hard into the bottom corner.

But it was Villa and Jimoh-Alobah who ended the encounter the stronger and, with 10 to go, the forward was rewarded for his efforts as he drove into the area and saw his effort deflected home.

Then, in the third minute of added time, the substitute had his second of the evening, bringing Gombau's side to within two goals of their hosts, steering an assured header into the bottom corner from fellow substitute Bradley Burrowes' cross. 

Villa could not manage any further additions to the scoresheet, however, as the final whistle sounded to hand Middlesbrough all three points in the north east.