U18s: Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Aston Villa

Aston Villa fell to defeat in the Under-18 Premier League on Saturday lunchtime, losing 2-1 away to Tottenham Hotspur.

Jimmy Shan’s Young Lions were handed a difficult task in the first period, as quickfire goals from George Feeney and Lucá Williams-Barnett put them two goals behind just after the half-hour mark.

Villa improved in the second half, TJ Carroll seeing a penalty saved as the hour approached before Max Lott hammered home with 25 minutes remaining, but they could not find an equaliser as they left the capital empty handed.

The affair very much proved a game of two halves at the Tottenham Hotspur Training Centre, with the hosts immediately on top from the outset, Tynan Thompson forcing Owen Asemota into a smart stop 20 minutes in.

But just six minutes later, the Villans would find themselves two goals down, having proved unable to keep Spurs out much longer. 

The deadlock was broken midway through the opening period when Miracle Adewole darted to the byline and pulled the ball back to Feeney on the edge of the area who found the bottom corner.

And before Villa could go about finding a response, the deficit was doubled, Williams-Barnett picking up a loose ball and firing a fantastic effort in from 40 yards out, wide on the right wing.

Spurs continued to push as the break drew nearer, with both Thompson and Ellis Lehane forcing saves from Asemota, but the visitors made it to half-time just the two goals behind.

The interval allowed Shan time to reinvigorate his side, and they came back out for the second period with a renewed sense of attacking urgency.

Just 11 minutes after the restart, they were presented with an opportunity to reduce the arrears when substitute Markie Meade was immediately into the thick of the action, drawing a foul from Ronny Moncur inside the area.

TJ Carroll stepped up but saw his effort down the middle stopped by Samual Archer, who was alert and heroic to also keep Carroll’s rebound at bay, turning behind for a corner and keeping his side’s two-goal advantage intact.

The Villans kept pushing, however, and after Williams-Barnett had hit the crossbar with another audacious effort from a difficult angle, they got their goal 25 minutes from time.

In-form Under-16 Jack McGrath found Max Lott who fired high into the roof of the net to bring the visitors back to within one goal.

The game opened up into an end-to-end encounter, with Spurs looking to finish the job and Villa pushing hard for a goal which would level the tie again. Fifteen minutes remained when Reiss Elliot-Parris struck the post from inside the area.

But it was Villa who came on strong as the game ticked into its closing stages, and only a miraculous goalline clearance Jun’ai Byfield kept Woody Burgess' poweful effort out and denied Shan’s side from stealing an equaliser in the final few minutes.

The defeat sees Villa’s youngsters slip back down to fifth in the Under-18 Premier League South division, though they remain four points off top with three games in hand.