Aston Villa were beaten in Premier League 2 action on Friday afternoon, falling to a 2-1 defeat at home to Everton.
Despite taking the lead at a sun-drenched Bodymoor Heath, Villa succumbed to two quickfire strikes shortly before the hour mark, as the Toffees left with all three points.
After a goalless opening period, Josep Gombau’s Young Lions began the second half in perfect fashion, Kyrie Pierre putting them ahead within two minutes of the restart.
But Everton rallied, as two goals in as many minutes from Omari Benjamin and Martin Sherif turned the tie on its head, ensuring the hosts would leave empty handed.
Despite the Villans starting well in the February sun, it was the visitors who carved out the better of the opportunities in the opening period.
Just four minutes in, Braden Graham led an Everton counter attack and fed the lively Sherif, who forced a good stop from Sam Lewis.
Minutes later, the Blues frontman was thwarted by the Villa defence as he looked to get a shot away, with only a mix-up between he and Will Tamen at the back post from the resulting corner denying the away side a second.
But the Villans grew in confidence as the first half transpired, creating opportunities of their own in an end-to-end encounter.
First, Kane Taylor sent a searching ball to the back post which needed to be turned behind by Aled Thomas, with Charlie Pavey lurking and ready to pounce.
Five minutes later came the turn of Bradley Burrowes. He turned Tamen on the halfway line and surged goalwards, only to be denied by Fraser Barnsley when one on one with the Everton goalkeeper.
Coby Ebere saw a shot deflected wide for the Toffees, but it was Villa who ended a goalless opening period the stronger. Aidan Borland’s ball found Pavey well over the top, but his centre was cut out by captain Reece Welch as Taylor prepared to get a shot away.
The Villans began the second half well, and were ahead within just two minutes of the restart. Taylor fed Burrowes who evaded Welch and got a shot off which was beaten away by Barnsley at his near post. But Taylor following in forced the home defence into clearing only as far as Pierre, who made no mistake to sweep home from close range.
Their lead, however, would be short lived, as Everton found another gear. After Welch had seen a long-range effort denied by Lewis, the visitors pulled level just 10 minutes after falling behind, when Isaac Heath’s corner was headed back across goal, and nodded home at the far post by Benjamin.
And just a minute later, the visiting side had incredibly turned the tie on its head. Ebere nicked ball off Thierry Katsukunya and Sherif took over, bearing down on goal and guiding a left-footed effort in off the far post despite the best efforts of a recovering Ethan Amundsen-Day.
Missed opportunities to put the game beyond doubt by Ebere spurred the Young Lions on to try and find an equaliser. Katsukunya’s header at the back post was held by Barnsley, before the hosts went within inches as substitute Nile Timson’s half-volley rattled the post.
The hosts entered the closing stages - and the six minutes of additional time - pushing hard to find a leveller, but it never came, as Everton left Bodymoor Heath with all three points.
